Aubrey's five year old friend was at the house playing a few days ago. While they played happily with the Barbies in the next room I scrubbed the toilet in the bathrrom. A few minutes later, while cleaning the mirror, I saw Aubrey's friend's little reflection watching me.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"That's so nice of you, but you don't want to help me clean the bathroom. It's kind of a yucky job." I was impressed she would even offer.
"I know how to clean the bathroom. That's one of my jobs," was her proud response.
"Really?" I was getting more impressed with each word she spoke.
"Oh yeah," like it was no big deal, "I scrub the toilet from top to bottom and use some cleaning wipes to wash the counters and I can even clean the sinks! I'm not tall enough to clean all of the mirror though."
My jaw hit the floor. Apparently, I need to give my kids more opportunities to help around the house.
So, tonight after I put the kids to bed, I sat down at the computer to make a "Job Chart." The kids are dreading its completion and I really can't blame them. Growing up I'm not sure that there were words that could strike fear into my young heart like those two.
"Time to rotate the job chart!" mom would say cheerily.
To me it sounded more like, "Time to switch from Chinese Water Torture to the Rack!"
"Can I go play?" I'd ask on a Saturday morning.
"Have you done all of your jobs on the job chart yet, Kari?" was mom's sunny response.
But what I heard was, "Have you worked your fingers to the bone yet, Cinderella?"
Jobs such as loading the dishwasher, dusting the living room and cleaning the bathroom felt like insurmountable obstacles that were invented for two purposes:
1- To torture me and
2- To keep me from having any fun.
I am quite sure that my own children have a similar attitude about jobs, but a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do and this mom needs a little more help. So, starting tomorrow the job chart comes out.
What have you done to teach your children to work? Do you use a job chart or another method? Do you give an allowance? Do tell, I'm curious to hear what others have tried and how it went.
5 years ago
5 comments:
So, Kari. I totally feel your vibe on the consternation that goes along with the job chart when you're a kid. But you're right, we need help! Every Saturday the kids have a list of chores.
As far as the boys go, one will be assigned upstairs, while the other does downstairs. The next week they switch.
Upstairs:
1. Clean the half bath (clean toilet, inside and out, around the floor; sweep floor, clean sink and mirror)
2. Sweep kitchen floor (Chad or I will move out the chairs for them)
3. Vacuum
4. Fold and put away a load of laundry (I'm also teaching Colin to sort and start a load in the washer.)
5. Clean garbage out of 1 car and vacuum it out.
6. An "extra" chore. It may be wiping down walls, helping shovel the driveway, sweeping out the garage, in nice weather work the garden...whatever is needed
Downstairs:
1. Clean bathroom
2. Dust (not a whole lot to do there)
3. Vacuum
4. Fold a load of laundry
5. Clean out the other car
6. Collect all dirty laundry
7. An "extra" chore
For the girls, Chad or I will spend a lot of the time with them, working on it all together.
1. A good picking up of the room (under the bed, especailly)
2. Pick up toy room
3. Collect all garbages and put in new bags
4. Fold and put away a load of laundry
5. Clean bathrooms-one will help with the Master, the other will do the main one. (Clorox wipes are our best friends)
Saturday can be a long morning if the kids are dragging their feet. But Chad and I have decided to dedicate our time to doing this as a family. We'll put on music and do our best to put on cheerful faces (not always easy!). The kids are so used to it now, they just know that's what they have to get done before they can do anything else. In fact, Micah came upstairs this past Saturday, all dressed and having already cleaned the bathroom, ready to get his chores done so he could play.
It definitely takes effort on our part as parents. It's seriously so much easier most of the time to just do it ourselves. But my future daughters and sons-in-law will thank me someday! :)
Yeah, I just wait until my mother-in-law comes over to clean my house, saves us all the hassle. :) Just Joking Penny!
Yeah Marci, that's probably the only benefit of being on bed rest, huh? :)
I do job charts in the summer and when the kids are off track. Of course every day the kids are responsible for keeping their own rooms clean as well as their bathroom whether they are on or off track. On Saturday's when the house seems a little out of control I have everyone pick a room and help too. It's crazy, but my kids actually look forward to the summer job chart to see what crazy idea I have come up with that year. :) I always try to make them fun.
We have regular chores & then we have extra chores. The extra chores allow them to earn money but the regular chores are just being a part of the family.
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