I mean, we do drive a 15 passenger van as our family vehicle, afterall.
So, how do large families do it? How do they manage their homes, keep their sanity and still love each other at the end of the day?
Truth is, I'm still figuring that out.
I'm still figuring out what it looks like to have all these kids, a house, a husband, homeschool, cook dinners, make lunches, change diapers, give baths, play games, have fun, kiss boo boos and still have the energy/time/desire to clean up my house.
It would be a daunting task for me to keep a clean house even if we didn't have (almost) 6 kids. But we do have (almost) 6 kids and we do do all those things I just mentioned above (I know, I just said do do). And you know what I've figured out?
What works now may not work forever.
It may not work in 2 months. And, I'm okay with things changing, obviously. But, I've figured out that my kids can work. At least the big kids can, and man are they good at it!
So, this past week we re-implemented chores. We did chores in the past and then Mom and Dad got lax on enforcing them and it had not been something we'd gotten back around to doing. And, truth-be-told, the last time we did chores I wasn't creative enough. The same kid did the same chore week after week after week.
But this go round looks to be much better. And, the kids seem to love it. I got our basic chore charts here and then customized them to fit our needs. Even the big kids helping in the little areas helps us BIG time.
Each week each of the big kids has "Helper Chores." These are things they do just because they live in this house. I do things just because I live here and so should they. Because they live here they can make their beds, clean up their rooms, pick up their toys and put their dirty clothes in the laundry room.
Simple huh? And basically, if they truly clean their rooms and pick up their toys, they've accomplished all 4 "Helper Chores" in about 15 minutes. Not to shabby.
Then, they have their "Chore Lists." The difference in their Helper Chores and their Chore Lists is simple.
Money.
They get paid for their Chore Lists and they don't for their Helper Chores. Helper Chores are things they do just because they live here, remember? I don't get paid for diaper changes. But oh how I wish I did.
They receive $0.05 per chore on their Chore List. Saturday is pay day. We keep track of which chores they do with a sticker chart. Each week the chart changes so that the chores for each kid for that week changes. They still do all their Helper Chores as normal but their Chore Lists are different.
I distinguished between Helper Chores and Chore Lists based on one very important principle. Helper Chores are always things they can do WITHOUT MY HELP. Chore List chores are things that they need my help with. I feel that they should pull their weight around here because they help make the messes. Thus, HELPER chores. Their Chore Lists chores are things that they do (work) to relieve my work load. Thus, things they can get paid for.
And, they take SO MUCH PRIDE in those chores, let me tell you. This week one of Ashlee's Chore List chores was helping with the laundry.
Have mercy, you'd have thought she'd hit the jackpot.
Naturally, all she does is either load the washer or transfer from the washer to the dryer. But, she's oh-so-proud of herself. In addition to laundry, Ashlee was also responsible for helping me cook and for checking the trashcans.
Elizabeth's chores were feeding the dog and sweeping/vacuuming under the table after meals. Lucas' chores included dusting (I pick a piece of furniture and spray a little dusting spray on a cloth and let him go to town) and setting the table.
Obviously, we do not expect perfection. I mean, look at this bed made by Elizabeth...
Now, check out her face. Serious pride right there. And you know what? Her sheets and comforter are on the bed and resemble a bed that is made and that's good enough for me!Here's a shot of Lucas in his all clean room...
Yes, he had help with his bed on this day. Notice that his clean room it's NOT perfect. But, neither am I. And if you've been to my house anytime ever you'll know that I don't expect perfection often.How could I?
It would stress me out. And, it would stress my kids out. So we go with our best effort?
And, for us it works. Our home is a little cleaner. Our kids a little prouder of their contributions. And we train them, little by little, to do it a little better the next time.
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What do you do to make your home run more smoothly?
"What do you do to make your home run more smoothly?"
ReplyDeleteKeep a well stocked wine rack.
Just kidding.
Sort of.
I admit, Noah if much better at making the kids do work. He makes them unload the dishwasher, pick up the house, etc.
I am teaching Isaac how to run a load of clothes in the wash, and I believe his new "helper" chore will be cleaning the toilet in the hall bath, which he has the talent of peeing all over the seat.
Lauralyn does a pretty good job of dusting. We give he a rag and a spray bottle of diluted vinegar, and she cleans until the rag is dirty.
Awesome idea! I love the idea of the two different kinds of chores. Grayson loves helping now. Even at 21 months he runs the sweeper over the floor and helps me dust. We will see how long he thinks that it is soooo much fun to help.
ReplyDeleteMy kids totally help out around the house, and they are awesome worker bees!
ReplyDeletechores. can't wait til i can adminster them. lol. i probably could now, i'm just not so good at doing them myself!!? i need motivation. seriously. ((and because i got up way too early i read chore as choice...and you know it's a choice too. one i should make more often!))
ReplyDeletei've never seen kids so happy to do chores! :) we do something very similar at our house. we have chores we do because we live here, like making beds and cleaning the kitchen. we also have weekly chores like cleaning the bathroom and dusting. we don't get paid for those because, as my dad says, "You're lucky we let you live here. The least you can do is chores." We do have extra chores [like cleaning the garage, washing the van, etc.] that we get paid for. Chores aren't fun, but they do teach how much work it takes to run a home, a lesson that most kids I know have no idea about.
ReplyDeletedo do. Very funny.
ReplyDeleteYou know it is always changing here too. Sometimes we try things and they don't work. Sometimes we get lazy (me included) and sometimes, just sometimes, we find things that make life run smooth!
Great idea! I love the fact that the kids feel as if they are accomplishing something too! We do chores here, but not as specific or detailed (like with a chart and all). Might be copying your ideas in the future, though!
ReplyDeleteWe do a very similar system. I USED to keep a chart but then my son was born and we let that go to the wayside...
ReplyDeleteWe have chosen to not pay our girls either, for things they need to do to help keep the house running smoothly.
They hang up and put away their own clothes once they are done being washed, my son helps me sort and throw the stuff in the washer and dryer...
They each are responsible for picking up their toys in the living room before Papa comes home at night.
Eli puts the silverware away in the dishwasher,
my girls clean the tables on our cleaning day and they help vaccume as well.
It's tough and i applaud you for doing what you do!
As a busy mama of 13 children ... our kids definitely do chores. Our chore charts have been modified many times over the years, but every child does his or her part in the "keeping of the home". When our young adult children started moving out on their own ... they THANKED us for teaching them how to work around the house and yard. Yes. They did.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have gender-based chores. Everyone learns everything.
Two of our young adult boys are actually cooking in restaurants to put themselves through college. They became quite proficient in the kitchen at our house, so it easily landed them jobs when they got older.
Two of our young adult girls are working as Nannies. They grew up loving the "mommy role", so they easily transitioned into their jobs, as well.
Because we have always taught our children how to work, they are the teens in town that get phone calls when anyone has work to hire for. They have mowed lawns, moved furniture, done landscaping, helped building contractors, worked in the berry fields, ... whenever there is work to be done, my kids know how to work.
Keep up the good work! You will be BLESSED because you are training up your children at a young age. I actually believe that moms who "do everything" for their kids are doing them a big dis-service. When the kids grow up, they don't know how to keep a home ... they don't have solid work ethics ... they don't know how to work as a team.
At our house ... TEAMWORK is the key to everything.
Hugs!!! You WILL survive this crazy busy time with 6 little ones, and God will BLESS you for training them up for Him.