Oh how often we either say it or hear it … “Too much to do, not enough time!”? I hear it and say it quite often. How do you manage all the tasks you have to complete in just 24hours? There are a lot of different methods on how to get chores and organizing done. Some have a strict schedule others just kinda wing it.
THEME:
This week I would you to share how chores are done in your home. How you order your day with school and getting housework done. How do you decide which chores should be done by which child, of which age?
THEME:
This week I would you to share how chores are done in your home. How you order your day with school and getting housework done. How do you decide which chores should be done by which child, of which age?
So chores are something that we have not been keeping up with well at my house. Since morning sickness quickly turned into around-the-clock sickness, ALOT of things were allowed to “slide.” Now that I am feeling a bit better, I am having a hard time getting my crew back on track.
I blogged at the beginning of the school year about our schedule using Managers of their Homes resources. Included in our regular daily schedule are times throughout the day for chores, chore training & quick clean-ups. Everyone helps including the 2 year old. She can pull the blankets up on her bed in the mornings & with a little help, she can even get them straight. She can pick up & put away toys & pick up & put away her shoes, socks, hairbows, etc.
A book I found very helpful when JC was a preschooler is Life Skills for Kids by Cynthia Field. It helped me to realize that even the little guys can be helpful, and when they are expected to be helpful & when they are appreciated at a young age, it will (hopefully) continue into their older years.
As far as scheduling chores into our days, this is how it is supposed to go & some days it even happens this way. 😉 When the children get up, they are asked to make their beds and get dressed. They eat breakfast & then brush their teeth. (The girls have been allowed to eat breakfast before getting dressed to avoid spilling things on their clothes. We’ve had to make extra changes a few times before.) JC (11yo) feeds the outdoor animals. AJ(5yo) feeds the poodle, and AC (2yo) often helps.
We go on with our regular school morning. Just before lunch, we have chore training. This is a chore from their list that is required to be done that day. I take them to the room of the chore, show them the tools to use & the proper way to complete the chore. Then I leave them to complete that chore as well as any other chores on their list while I go & prepare lunch.
Then again before dinner, any chores that didn’t get done earlier are to be done at that time. Also, clearing the table from our school day & picking up the living room are typically done by the girls. All three kids help with getting dinner on the table: setting the table, preparing glasses, helping get the meal finished, etc.
After dinner, Dad is in charge of kitchen clean-up. 😉 Everyone helps clear the table & load the dishwasher. Dad & JC wipe counters while the girls wipe the table. I don’t think the floors get swept, but I’m not gonna complain. And if I’m very blessed that day, one of the guys will actually take out the trash!!
Before bed is the “bedtime routine”: shower/bath, brush teeth, pick up room, pick out clothes for tomorrow, prayers & lights out.
I also have more irregular chores scheduled by 1st week of the month, 2nd week, etc. Things like check/change the air filter on the a/c unit, clean the ceiling fans, clean behind the fridge (rarely gets done, but it’s on the list), change sheets (twice/mo rotating so I don’t have everyone’s sheets to wash at once) and other odd chores that I can’t think of right now. These are typically done first thing on Saturday morning, and then the rest of the day is for play.
We are a work in progress & not everything gets done on its assigned day. Sometimes the chore doesn’t get done all week, but it does eventually get done. Our schedule is our goal, and I am trying to teach diligence in trying to reach that goal.
I love when Mike takes over kitchen duty after dinner. That is probably one of my least favorite chores and it is sooooo nice to be able to relax after dinner. I usually wind up pitching in and putting some food away…but I know the dishes are getting done and that’s a good thing. 🙂