Chores and Children

   As much as I'd like to be a completely old fashioned mother, I am myself prone to be overcome by the age in live in and am surrounded by. Children aren't expected to help out at home as much. But on the other  hand it comes natural to me to boss my children around, I was raised by one such talented lady. I will admit though, that it is sometimes easier to just do it myself and get it done the way I want it done. I think, because my children are always at home, they are here eating, playing, using the bathroom, etc., that homeschool families' homes must be messier than others. There just isn't any time for me to "just do it myself". That's good, in the long run, another (oh, dear) teaching opportunity presents it's self. The lifestyle we chose for our family: to have all-hands-on-deck, teamwork, everyone to learn to hold up their end of the stick.
   We've been doing a revolving chore list for sometime and it has been going good. I would switch jobs around every now and then just so everyone could have a chance (eager little beavers -Ha!) to learn how to do different tasks. I want my boys to learn how to clean toilets, for goodness sakes, also to learn how often it needs to be done! And it shouldn't be left up to the only girl to take the brunt of 5 brothers. Bryon decided that the two oldest are old enough to do their own laundry. They have been helping out for a while, they do a good job. Besides Abigail has too many clothes, she needs to learn the consequences of changing out-fits more than once a day.

   With summer coming on, changing needs as the family gets bigger, we revised the chore chart again. This time Bryon got involved and it became high tech with coding, and a weekly redraw, but they think its fun. It was a hoot, especially when Nathanial got clean the bathrooms again. The little boys are learning to read and are becoming quite capable little helpers, it makes them feel more important to have a part of the chore list rather than be nagged into helping.   

We have A. jobs and B. jobs. A jobs need to be done every day. B jobs once a week. I came up with as many as everyone would have one to do every day, instead of  doing them all in one day. Then every week the tags get taken down and redrawn and everyone should have a few different things to do, might take the monotony out of it. T. stands for team work, one of the little guys gets picked to help out with the job.

 It probably sounds confusing but it seems to be working well, so if I learn the code too, B9 means that the yard will get picked up this week and that Abigail is doing B5 on Tuesday ( clean the fridge)- it just might help everything not be so overwhelming!