I know that my blog has been very neglected but we've been in survival mode most days with Aaron's crazy tax schedule right now and there really isn't much going on. My mom is coming on Monday though so I promise pictures of our adventures while she is here.
Today though I need your advice/ideas. My friend Samye in her last post talked about her daughters work ethic and how she completes her jobs and want to do a good job at whatever she does. It got me thinking about my girls and the lack of jobs and responsibilities they have. There are things that I have them do around the house but nothing really consistent. My question for my few loyal blog readers is...
1. What jobs/responsibilities do you have your kids perform (Anna is 4 1/2 and Brooklyn is 3)
2. What are some ways that you keep them motivated.
I want to give them things that are age appropriate and want to instill in them a good work ethic and have them take pride and feel good about doing a job well. Your ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
4 years ago
13 comments:
They have to unload the dishwasher every morning as well as make their beds and get dressed before they can have breakfast. This is probably more for the 4 year old. THey also have to put their clothes away after I've washed them. They take out the trash and lately they've had to do extra chores to pay me back for the finger nail polish they spilled on my new carpet (not fun) and they've washed windows, folded laundry, cleaned the bathrooms, dusted, sweept, wiped down walls. Really, you'd be surprised at what they can do. I make them do quite a bit, not too much but enough where they can learn to work and know we need to work together to keep this family happy and working. Good luck!! Hope I helped
I know I'm the same way. I feel they are never too young to start doing chores. I was even thinking of doing a chore chart for Macey and if she did all of them we could take her somewhere or have a friend over. But when I clean the house she is always right there helping whether it's sweeping, doing dishes, wiping down counters, whatever. But her main thing is keeping her play room clean. Scott was even thinking about starting an allowance. I'm not quite sure about that right now but soon enough we will need to start. We have taught her about saving money and we set up her own little bank account and when she fills her piggy bank we take it to the bank to deposit it. She says she is saving for Disneyland, so hey that's great she has a goal. All I try to do is get the point across that it's important to have a clean house and it needs to be done before we play.
Kimberly sets the table for dinner each night and Glade puts away the silverware. He does this pretty well even though he is only 20 months. Also, Kimberly matches the socks when I do laundry. She seems to enjoy that and actually liked it when I switched her job from silverware to setting the table a few months ago. I also like them to put their own clothes away after I fold them, but that requires a little supervision. I should have more also, but haven't really come up with anything more than just straightening up. Kimberly loves to do scavenger hunts when we are cleaning up. I will draw pictures of the things that need to be found and put away and she finds them and takes care of them. It takes a little longer, but she really seems to think it is fun. I also have other jobs she can do to earn money. The first two jobs she does because she lives in our house and eats our food. The others are extras. She doesn't earn much, just a dime or so a job and that way she learns to pay tithing also. Good luck!
I love having Keegan help me with stuff, he is always way into it and loves to help. Daily, he has to make his bed, unload the silverware, get himself dressed/brush his teeth, pick up his toys. He loves to wipe down the bathrooms with clorox wipes. He also loves to scrub the toilet with a toilet brush, although I'm not wild about that one, I usually let him for a few minutes and then I finish. After laundry, I liked him to put away his clothes, but sometimes he needs help. We used to have a sticker chart, and after he did all of his chores for a week, he got a trip to the dollar store. Sometimes their help makes more work for you, but I think it's worth it to teach them to be good workers. If Keegan volunteers to help with dishes, I'll let him, even though it ends up being pretty messy ;-) Kayden already picks up toys with Keegan, mostly because he likes to do whatever brother does! Good luck!
Jazlyn has a sticker chart that when it gets full she gets to pick a "prize" (usually from the dollar store). She only gets to put a sticker on if she does the job willingly. HEr main "job" is taking clothes out of the dryer and putting them in the laundry basket, and then lately she's really getting into folding towels and putting them away, and actually does really well at it. She also helps set the table, clear her plate, and makes her bed, as well as picking up her messes. Good luck!
I have a job chart for Aubree and she puts stickers on the things she has done. Everyday she makes her bed, puts her pajamas away, brushes her teeth, puts her bath toys away, cleans her room before bed and feeds the dog. She loves putting stickers on the chart. If you google job charts there are alot of cute ones with pictures that you can make from scratch and just print a new one off each week. It is fun for her. And Garrett just "helps" clean with Aubree and wears the stickers on his head! Hope that helps.
i'm lazily not reading everyone's comments, so excuse me if i repeat anyone. i like the love and logic for toddlers approach to chores. they believe in giving kids age-appropriate chores that they are responsible for daily. to start, you do the chore with them, then gradually give the child more and more responsibility until it's all on them.
i did read the sticker chart idea and that seems really good, especially for establishing routine. i've been thinking more lately about getting jane on a regular schedule well before kindergarten so that when we do have a daily scheduled event, it's not such a big deal.
good luck!
What great ideas!! Halle is going to hate all the new ideas I have come up with!!
of course brady is no where near there yet, but I have nephews the girls age so I will say what they do, cause I had chores when I was little.
Empty the silverwear and put it away.
Put all your toys away
make your beds
pick up their clothes
dusting
and what everyone else said!
My boys set the table, deliver their laundry, sort socks, arrange shoes on the shoe shelf, unload the dishwasher, and bring me garbage cans from around the house. They earn priveleges by obediently doing their jobs. If they want to watch a show, they need to do their jobs first.
I don't have anything to add, but I'm enjoying reading other people's suggestions. Good luck!
Matthew has "responsibilities" that he has to do before he can have "privileges" like watching a show, playing with toys, going outside, or playing with friends. His responsibilities are making his bed, cleaning his room, brushing his teeth, and saying his prayers. He LOVES to help me with whatever I am doing so I try to capitalize on that. When I say what a good job he is doing and what a good helper he is his head almost explodes and he wants to help more. He loves to help me take laundry to everyones rooms in his "delivery truch" (laundry basket). He is good at dusting, dishes, laundry - adding soap and clothes, and loves loves loves to clean the toilets. I love the suggestions here, I think I will try the extra chores for money/learn about tithing thing. Let me know what you decide to do - you always have great ideas!
I emailed Merrilee Boyack (church author) and she sent me a list to help children be independent by the time they leave home. It goes up to 18 years old but here is the first page:
THREE YEARS OLD
Dress self
Toilet trained
Beginning brush teeth
Pick up toys
Say prayers
FOUR YEARS OLD
Brush teeth
Make bed
Make own breakfast
Make sandwiches
Beginning to clean room
Clean glass tables
Unload dishwasher
FIVE YEARS OLD
Straighten room
Vacuum
Empty garbage cans
Set table
Clear table
Make own lunch
Canned food warm-up
Get allowance
SIX YEARS OLD
Take shower
Dusting
Load dishwasher
Empty dishwasher
Clean sinks
Run microwave
Water plants
Make and answer phone calls
SEVEN YEARS OLD
Wash dishes
Floss teeth
Clean toilets
Pull weeds
Savings account
Read with comprehension
Memorize phone/address
EIGHT YEARS OLD
Grooming nails & hair
Get up by himself
Team sport or club
Personal talent development
Clean mirrors
Read scriptures daily
Care for pet
Do hair
Begin piano lessons
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