Day to Day

One of our biggest challenges is to stay on top of chores. Our current system is that the kids have morning chores, except Cassy because she can barely get to school on time as it is. Connor unloads the dishwasher, Addy unloads the silverware, and Alex feeds Biscuit. Everyone is supposed to make their beds, put clothes in the dirty clothes, and brush their teeth. sometimes we are better at this than others. It seems like when we catch up on everything and the house is in order we can get to our chores on a more regular basis, but when everything is crazy we are crazy all around! In the evening everyone is supposed to rotate through chores monthly and be in charge of a zone in the house that they tidy up. Here are the current categories: vacuum kitchen floor after dinner, feed dog & upstairs family room; set table, get drinks for dinner & clean mud room and little bathroom; load dishwasher after dinner, downstairs family room & bottom of stairs (including the collection basket of toys); hand wash dishes, wipe counters, tidy upstairs hallway and laundry room. It doesn't get done all the time, but at least we have a system and we keep trying. We have tried all sorts of different incentive schemes and cleaning rotations. This seems to work the best for us because we only rotate once a month (I can't keep up with changes more often than that), plus it gives them a little time to figure out the chore and to master it in that amount of time, yet they change around and don't get bored either.

Last night I was helping Connor with the hand washing and I had been running around and cleaning and just trying to be a taskmaster all day that when it came time to do the dishes I was approaching it in much the same way, but I realized there is fun to be had in the doing and kids always show you how. I had to slow down and decrease my intensity and remember to just be happy to spend some time with my cute son who is growing up so fast. He washed a dish and then he would do soap bubbles on his face to make a beard, then he would wash another dish and squirt the dish water across the room and try to do that a few more times to see how far it could squirt. The other day I was about to put away the mixing bowl in the KitchenAid mixer when I realized the dough hook was propped on the arm. I thought, "What is this doing here?" Then I realized the paddle attachment was propped on the other arm. I recognized Connor or Alex's work right away and couldn't help but take a picture. They had turned the mixer into a pirate or some Star Wars figure....

The kids do get an allowance [which isn't really tied to work, I feel like kids should learn how to handle money whether they are behaving or not. Our kids lose privileges if they don't get their chores or homework finished (like no video games, computer or friends.)] Everyone gets $1 for every year they are old. Currently Addy gets $5, Alex $7, Connor $10, and Cassy is on a special system. They get paid this once a month. Ten percent goes to tithing, twenty percent to savings, and the rest to spending. I read a book called the parenting breakthrough and they suggested this plan for allowance and saving, so I have pretty much followed that. When the kids turn 11, they start putting money toward a long term savings account. At age 11 I think they put $8 toward the account and they are also earning an allowance. At 12 they no longer earn an allowance. They actually have to find ways to work and to earn money. At this age I think they pay in about $15 a month, at age 13 it is $25 per month. Each year they pay more and more until when they are 17 it is like $150 a month. Although they no longer get an allowance, they do earn a monthly match to this long term account from their parents. When they turn 18 they will have about $11,000 saved up for college or a mission. Much of that they will have worked for themselves, so hopefully they will have respect for all the work it takes to earn that much money and not just go and blow it.

I hope that all the gnashing of teeth and wailing we go through will eventually help my children know how to work and take pride in accomplishing things. I pray that they will know what responsibility is and that they will be proud of a job well done. Most of all, I just hope my kids know and feel how much I love them and that I want them to reach their full potential in life.