Having so many to take care of can be overwhelming for moms in the cleaning department. Well, at least for me! I don't know about you supermoms out there. :D So of course we have chores systems around here. I don't want my kiddos to be any lazier than they so badly want to be (that's an understatement). I decided recently that with the huge mounds of laundry I have to do, I think the boys can fold and hang up their own clothes after I have washed them. I already have mine, Charles', linens, and the girls clothes to wash and put away. So I gave the task to Chaz and Ryan to put away all boy's clothes and, boy, Ryan went all out. He not only put the clothes away, he organized the whole closet. Notice the picture of white hangers, how the hangers being used are on the right and unused hangers on the left? Well, I color code the hangers for all my kids. Chaz and Ryan are the same size so they have always had blue hangers (as you see in picture) , Kyle has white. In the girl's room, Ivy has pink and Ashley has white. Well, Ryan went a step ahead and put all of Kyle's clothes on the right side of the closet and all the blue hangers on the left side of the closet that hold their own clothes. He spent so much time doing it and has kept it up. My goodness. At this rate, you can bet they are folding and putting away their clothes from now on! I love it! (That's what they get for doing the job so perfect). They want to do the dishes but I'm afraid because of all the glass. I might buy a whole set of plastic dishes just for lunchtime so they can be in charge of lunchtime dishes. Sometimes I see mommies that are so overwhelmed and I can understand why. I used to make the same mistake. I did all the work, and my kids just played. Once they turn 3, they get a chore. The older they get, the more resposibility they get. I made a list called "Hero Helpers". Big hint with boys. They like the "Hero" factor. I used to work my butt off trying to clean up after everyone. One day I got it. My dimmed "duh" light turned off and my "idea" light turned on. In the olden days, didn't kid help out around the farm? Or were they just chasing chickens all day? (What the heck did they do?) Maybe play and trade marbles? I don't know what down time was like for kids. I bet, they helped milk a cow, feed the chickens and collect the eggs. On and on. Girls helped out too. My kids don't have to have a lot, just take care of their own part. Once everyone took care of their part, my part was so much easier! I mean, I used to work all day long. Now, homeschooling doesn't seem so monstrous. I mean, now, I have way more time on my hands and the idea of homeschooling is actually inviting. Not just another chore. Or "more work". Before, when I homeschooled, I felt ran over because I did EVERYTHING. It was either I homeschool OR I cleaned house. One or the other. Never both in the same day. Now, I have much more time on my hands. Thank you God FOR KNOCKING ME OVER THE HEAD and making me see that kids need not be so dang lazy and make mom just do it all. The plus side.... Ryan likes to surprise me by doing extra chores. Every now and then, I'll walk into my room and my bed is made. Or Ivy's room is picked up. I'll keep fighting to trap and tackle those lazy bones that all kids tend to have. Now they are thinking about other people besides themself.
4 comments:
That's incredible. Congratulations on good parenting! Great hint too about the Hero thing. I am so impressed.
Yay! I wish I could get organized enough to do that. That is so hard, but you make it look easy.
My kids are not there yet. They seem to make more work for us when we have them help us.
Why is it that kids WANT to do the things that we are wary of but they DETEST the thing we suggest they do?! :) My uncoordinated 7 year old wants to do dishes too. I don't think that would be wise.
Thankfully, my 10 year old wants to mop and I think I can let him do that one.
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