After all the playing and running all summer long I was looking forward to some calm, easy days with the kids playing in our front yard (or front driveway, whatever.)
B was getting restless with summer winding down and school still not starting for a whole month. I want to let you in on a little secret. B is my son, we are a lot a like; we're loud and crazy and full of energy. We love to play and stay busy. We both like to have what we want, right now. We also are easy to anger, and don't know how to express or control our feelings in a calm manner. I love my B more than he will ever know and more than I can express in words, even if he did get some of my not so desirable traits.
So….. we butt heads a lot.
We were having a rough end to our summer and I didn't like how we were meshing. I needed something for him to do that would keep him busy, and happy, and not bugging the girls (another trait we both have. We like to aggravate).
We hadn't been doing many chores during the summer because, well, there was no time for all that. With all the beautiful weather we spent every waking moment outside.
One afternoon after B and I had had a really hard morning, I looked at the sink full of dishes and the lightbulb above my head came on. He could do the dishes. Yes, he could do the dishes! So I helped him unload the dishwasher, showing him where all the clean dishes go. Then I taught him how to properly reload the dishwasher with the dirty dishes, where the cups go, pots and pans, plates, how to put the knives down so no one gets hurt on them…..
B was getting restless with summer winding down and school still not starting for a whole month. I want to let you in on a little secret. B is my son, we are a lot a like; we're loud and crazy and full of energy. We love to play and stay busy. We both like to have what we want, right now. We also are easy to anger, and don't know how to express or control our feelings in a calm manner. I love my B more than he will ever know and more than I can express in words, even if he did get some of my not so desirable traits.
So….. we butt heads a lot.
We were having a rough end to our summer and I didn't like how we were meshing. I needed something for him to do that would keep him busy, and happy, and not bugging the girls (another trait we both have. We like to aggravate).
We hadn't been doing many chores during the summer because, well, there was no time for all that. With all the beautiful weather we spent every waking moment outside.
One afternoon after B and I had had a really hard morning, I looked at the sink full of dishes and the lightbulb above my head came on. He could do the dishes. Yes, he could do the dishes! So I helped him unload the dishwasher, showing him where all the clean dishes go. Then I taught him how to properly reload the dishwasher with the dirty dishes, where the cups go, pots and pans, plates, how to put the knives down so no one gets hurt on them…..
It was exactly what we needed to tame this end of the summer, ready for school to start energy!
Of course Mack Attack wanted to help, too. So I put her to work, and found out that my kids really can do chores around the house to help.
Now, it's not getting done the way I would do it.
BUT it's getting done, and they are doing a great job!
Vacuuming is a super power around here :)
I'm enjoying this stage where my kids actually enjoy doing their chores! I know it won't last long before it becomes a teeth pulling extravaganza, so I'm going to live it up while I can.
I have a big elaborate plan for an amazing chore chart, but that is going to take time and effort. So for now I created a chore chart that I can print once a week, hang on our refrigerator, and use for chores for that week.
I use this one with my 4 year old daughter. It can be used for a 3 or 4 year old.
I use this one with my 6 year old son. It could be used for 5 years and older.
I sit down at the beginning of the week and decide what chores I want the kids to do that week on what day. I put an x on the chores they won't be doing.
For example. The kids will be making their own beds every morning, but they will not both be helping with dinner preparation every day. So if my daughter is helping with Monday I will put an X on Monday's square for meal preparation for my son.
Sometimes the kids use stickers to mark the chores they accomplished and sometimes we just use a pen or marker.
What kind of chores do your kids do? When did they start and are they at the loving to help stage or the you're torturing me by making me do this stage?
