One of the reasons I have been enjoying the summer holidays so immensely is because I don't feel stressed. In my regular life, I often feel stressed, and my days feel like endless to-do lists. I am always trying to work more efficiently, doing so many things at once I confuse myself!
The Captain has an insane work ethic and I feel like I need to be able to show him proof of my productivity at the end of the day. Silly? Maybe, I don't know.
Getting everyone out in the morning is the most stressful, but the afternoon/dinner/homework witching hour comes a close second.
I've been thinking about how to improve these rough patches in our day, and I realize that my kids are capable of doing so much to help with my long list of to-do items. Our kids help around the house, but I've long put off a formal chore system because it seems so complicated, and then there's the questions of allowance, chore rotation, chore frequency...taking the time to come up with the system seems challenging.
Don't even get my started on Pinterest and people's hand painted wooden chore boards with hooks for individually painted chore tags!
Let's start simple, is my motto. I sat down and wrote a short and realistic list of what I would like to outsource to the kids 98% of the time.
During the witching hour it always seems like I'm trying to oversee homework and make dinner, while the compost bucket is overflowing, the sun is setting on the laundry outside, and the dish drainer is full of the afternoon's clean dishes, and I just can't do what I am trying to do because I have to sidetrack in so many different directions.
I found a website that said to simply have three columns, one for the chores, one for deadlines, and one for check marks. Simple! I plan on getting a dry-erase type board so that I can change things around as I need to.
I'm not going to tie the chores to allowance at this point. We do give our kids the opportunity to earn pocket money for extra jobs. Some times they are motivated, and some times they dissapoint me by not wanting to do the job for the amount I'm offering. So, for now, these chores will just be their responsibility, with no monetary reward.
I want to start the new system as soon as possible to help them get used to it before school starts.
How do chores work at your house? What advice would you give a newbie chore chart maker? Help!
Although, I haven't done this myself yet, my sister made really cute chore charts for her girls.
She found 8x10 picture frames that she liked, put pretty paper that matches her decor with each of the girls names on it. On the glass of the picture frame, she uses a dry erase marker to write what chores go to whom, and when. Really cute. Pretty simple.
She has one in her kitchen, it also matches the decor, where she writes a weekly menu for dinner.
Posted by: Kelly | 15 January 2013 at 02:37 AM
You know Kelly, that sounds pretty easy to do! I looked at so many labor intensive ideas on Pinterest and thought "no way", but this will work! Thanks for the idea.
Posted by: Kohana | 15 January 2013 at 09:35 AM
My sister is the crafty one in the family. I log into Pinterest and my hands start shaking, and I get light headed at all the great ideas that I most likely could never begin to accomplish! :)
Glad that you liked the idea. It is really cute, and easy.
Posted by: Kelly | 16 January 2013 at 06:37 AM
Kohana, we just started a little chores-for-screentime system with Sam. He has a jar of stones. Every time he does a chore that benefits the family he gets to put a stone in the Wii jar or TV/computer jar. Each stone is worth 10 minutes. It works to teach him responsibility, it REALLY limits screen time, and he is getting some math, too. Works nicely for us. Would be harder with more kids, but thought you wouldn't mind another idea.
Posted by: Jessica | 17 January 2013 at 03:42 PM