Deuteronomy 6:5-9

"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Chores

We are going from this:


To this:


This first picture is a picture of these charts that I designed a long time ago. It has worked well for a season. Ethan has done great with it, Andrew well... Andrew continues to be Andrew. Anyway it was time to add Tabitha onto the chore chart system. I have been wanting to read "Managers of their Chores", but to be honest was intimidated. I was afraid of investing the time and money and then not implementing. See I have a sin issue called inconsistency. I am a chart and list kind of gal, but I don't always implement all my lists and charts.

Well I must say after reading the book and taking all the time into making these chore packs (that the children wear), we have been implementing them. So far so good! We are still in the early stages of training. The real test will be next week when we start back teaching the children their lessons full time. I am in hopes that it will make my life easier and I will have a cleaner house.

The book is wonderfully written and really lines up with our beliefs and goals for our family. One of the selling points for me was when Terri Maxwell said that she always found herself doing one thing really well, while the other things weren't getting done. That is where I am. With a large family and children at various ages I'm finding it more difficult to keep up with all the housework, teaching them their formal lessons, planning meal, clipping coupons....

Below are some pictures I snapped of the children doing some of their chores:

Ethan and Andrew helped eachother make their beds. (even when they didn't have to)


Boys beds are made, and I DIDN'T DO IT! :)

Tabitha and Ethan having their "quiet time with Jesus."

...and one last side note, Andrew is still being Andrew. He will be the one that has a more difficult time focusing on the task at hand. So just because you see this fancy system, don't think it's all fun and freeing. I still have my work cut out for me. ;)

2 comments:

In Everything said...

I haven't read that book.... but really have wanted to. I have the hesitations that you had:) Anyway, I've been saving name-lanyards from baptist conventions to made the chore cards;) In fact my kids see the lanyards and WANT me to make the cards.... and then I have a little chart for the youngest...

But like your confession... I also struggle with being consistent AND following through with ideas with home organization and structure....

but you've challenged me to GET IT TOGETHER and make my cards! It would be soo nice to have a few weeks of Home organization Boot Camp before we start school again!

What is the motivation for the kids to complete their chore cards?? or how do you handle it when a child refuses to do their chores????

I ask b/c I have one that will be in their room ALLLLLL DAYYYY when I ask them to clean it up. Eventually we HAVE to leave the house and they come out or they are motivated enough to clean it up... and does a GREAT job when they do it!

Heather said...

Hey Kelly- I liked the book because the first several chapters were very encouraging and explained the importance behind chores. (more than just helping me out) The motivation comes from a heart wanting to serve. (and obey)

There are consequences when the chores are not completed. But it depends on the heart behind the action. Example this morning Ethan did all his chores but didn't clean the sink well enough. So he was simply made to go do it again with daddy showing him where he missed.

However with Andrew chores (and many other things) we have to stay on him. If he is being lazy or just simply not obeying he get's disciplined.

I hope some of this helps. :) I really recommend the book.