We were having trouble with our mornings. The older boys (5 and 3) were getting up a bit earlier than I desired to get up (6 am) and then having trouble finding anything to do but fight or cause trouble
usually loud trouble. They would start the morning out fine, but by the time I was up and showered they had found some sort of trouble.
I am so pleased to write about this problem in the past tense. The reason I can do so is our new chart. I sat down and thought of what tasks, in an ideal situation, I would love the boys to accomplish before we even had breakfast. I made a chart of these tasks (so far nothing new, I know). Next, I went around the house and took pictures of these tasks; for example, a picture of their bedsall made up, a picture of the silverware drawer (because the 3-year-olds responsibility is putting away the clean silverware), etc. I glued the pictures on the chart and numbered them. I then added the corresponding numbers to the chart. This way the 3 year old can mark off his tasks even though he cant read. Here is a picture of our chart. It would not take much to make it way cuter!
I told the boys that after they had accomplished each task they could bring their pages (a coloring page, dot-to-dot etc. is the last task) to me and then they are free. I am so excited to share that this has worked perfectly! The boys really like this system because
1) its fun for them to find what I have set out for them in the morning
2) they like marking off on the chart and
3) they have/will/and always will (I think) love structure.
I have come to believe that the reason they were having so much trouble with the early morning was the lack of structure. This chart gives it to them in a way they can see. I had tried charts without the pictures in the past without success. So now, when I go to bed at night I set out what they need and am able to sleep until what I consider a more normal hour in the morning
or until the baby gets up J.
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