So my blog friend, Christina, asked about chores around the house and how do others do it. We have 4 kids. We don't pay allowance, much to their dismay. Their pay is room and board, and all the things they do, like sports and birthday parties and such. I think they are ok. Hard work never killed anyone, but don't ask my kids!
KITCHEN DUTY
DISHES – unload dish washer in am
help load dinner dishes
cleared and wiped off
by the end of the day
wipe off table after dinner
Mop 2 times a week
(wed/sat)
whenever full
BATHROOM DUTY
COUNTERS & SINKS –make sure counters are
clear (ok to ask others
to put things away)
wipe counters and sink
daily with wipes
clean mirrors with windex
Use toilet bowl cleaner
& brush 1x week
Sweep floor
Wipe floor with wet rag
(all 1x week)
FAMILY ROOM DUTY
sweep front hall every
other day
mop front hall 2x week
take outside can to
curb Monday pm
DEN DUTY
Room picked up by 7pm daily
have others put own
clothes away
help with washing/drying
So, this is what we do. The kids rotate on Sundays, so that means they are in charge of the ZONE for a week. It works pretty well, cause it's all written down and they can't argue with me because it's in hard copy, not just my head. Obviously you would make it to fit your home and your kids. Emma (6) is in charge of the same things as everyone else. She does a pretty good job. We help her with her jobs, especially the kitchen!, but she loves to clean the bathroom. If we have an off week of nothing getting done, then we have a big clean on Saturdays before any one goes anywhere.
Even if they do a half patooty job, at least I know who I can ask to help me in certain areas. As for their rooms. If they can shut the door, I don't really care. It seems like and endless battle. I try to pick my battles carefully. Jut yesterday my oldest had finally had it with her room and clean it up very nicely!
That's it. I shared. I'd love to know what works for others! Now to fold the laundry!!!!!
4 comments:
Thanks Thanks Thanks!! I really like this idea of zones. I wish I could just close my kids bedrooom doors but if just drives me crazy! I try not to harp on them too much but sometimes it is more than I can take!! I am hoping to have some sort of plan so we can tell them about it for FHE tonight. We will see how that goes over with the kids :)
Great ideas. Too bad my kids are grown. Now, how do I get the hubby and myself motivated to do it? I know.......chocolate for me and Diet Mt. Dew for him.
You are so far ahead of me on this! Or course, it is hard to ask the Big Guy to do much b/c everything truly is hard for him. The LG wasn't old enough to do very much until recently. Then there was the MC, always very capable--how did we ask her to do stuff when the boys weren't? Now that she is older and more mature about things and now that LG is more capable, we are putting them to work--finally! We just have a 30 minute clean up time every night after dinner and we all just pitch in and do what needs to be done. MC usually loads the dishwasher (she manages to stretch a five minute job to 30, of course!) and LG windexs, delivers folded laundry and whatever else we ask him to do. BG makes sure all of his dirty clothes are in the hamper. Believe it or not, that is huge progress for him! Roy feels much better about doing chores when everyone else is doing them at the same time. It isn't much but it does help!
i'm with you. i don't agree with kids getting an allowance for chores. they do get one just to learn to manage money, but it's nominal. who pays me to do all the stuff i do around the house? plus, you're right. they get paid with all the acitivites and things that they enjoy.
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