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Thursday, June 6, 2013

Finding Ballance

Before school got out I was establishing a habit for myself, where I clear the table after breakfast, then I would wash it off and sweep the floor.  Since school got out I have changed my emphasis to trying to get the kids to more regularly do their assigned jobs.  However none of them are assigned the jobs of sweeping the floor or washing off the table, and so those things aren't happening as often anymore.

This is just one example of how I feel I have been neglecting my household duties.  Also I am finding it harder each day to encourage the kids to do their jobs.  Today I just felt burnt out, and not up to the challenge.  So, they didn't do most of their jobs, and I didn't do my jobs either.  I need to come up with some way to help them each day do their jobs, without it taking as much energy on my part, or I need to lighten the load, and lower my expectations of how clean I want the house.

1 comment:

Rose said...

We use chore packs for our children. We use ID holders that you can get from Staples, and we clip it on their clothes. Then I put numbered cards with chores on them in the pack, and they do them in order. I made one for me too. The very last card in mine is a card to "inspect chores." You'd have to take the time to train each child what you expect with the chore packs. For a reference, my 8, 7, and 5 year olds can manage their own chore packs. My almost 3-year old wears her chore pack (and can tell by looking at the pictures what to do next), but needs some help with some tasks. I wear the baby's chore pack so I remember to do what I need to do with the baby (get them dressed, say morning prayer with them, etc...).

If their performance is subpar, it is either because they haven't been properly trained to do the task at hand, or because their are not consequences for poor work.

We also introduced Chip (one of the chipmunks from Chip and Dale) to the kids, and encourage them to be CHIPper workers (Cheerful, Hardworking, Impeccable, and Punctual).

If you need more details, feel free to message me!