Last Fourth of July...gulp. BIG. gulp.
Summer is a hard time of year to hold onto routine. It is hard to have game plans because spur of the moment, fly by the seat of your pants fun, changing up your day when the wind changes...well, that is what summer is all about too. But I knew that this summer I wanted to take some time to get the boys to help out around here a little more. I wanted to take time to train them on some household tasks that I know they are capable of.
At the beginning of summer we revamped our chore ways in steps and man alive...it is going way better. Instead, of changing up the chore charts I first focused on the most annoying household task on my list and that was emptying the dishwasher.
I trained the boys. Started them off with specific parts of the task. And then I left the room and let them go. I didn't hover and demand them slow down or be more careful. I had them place dishes in the correct places if they could reach with two feet on the ground. Otherwise, they were to put the dishes on the counter near their resting place. They were surprised by my trust and it has been their job for a good month.
They do it daily, usually in the morning so I can fill it with the breakfast dishes immediately. Sometimes, Sydney helps too putting the silverware in the drawer and I just have to readjust since it all lands in one place. There is a busy-ness to this moment in our house that makes me giddy with happiness. They have yet to complain about this task and I think a big part has been that I trained them and then trusted. They now share the different tasks, breaking it up on their own.
A few weeks later I took their old chore chart and adjusted it so they are just earning money. And I kept the rest of the jobs all basic things they are pretty expected to do. And I have to nag. A LOT. But the dishwasher I don't have to nag about. Funny.
Here is a link to more tips on getting your kids to help out from a blog that I recently found and added to my blog list in my sidebar.
Dishwasher has now been moved to their responsibility. Any idea what the next task should be that I hand off to them? I think they are ready.
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2 comments:
Thanks for sharing about the dishwasher. My girls hottie pleasure of unloading ours before lunch :)
They are also in charge of emptying the trash cans on trash night and putting away their folded laundry.
I am going to half to think of something else to add before summer is over.
Jennie
I let my kids take the kitchen trash bag out to the outside "big" trashcan (mind you there are times that can be too heavy and I still do it). That has also been a train and then trust kind of job. and I can't help but smile as they carry that bag that is almost just as big as they are around to the side yard and heft it up into the big can. Also I let them dust with my yellow feather duster. They do the bookshelves, the piano, the TV and VCR and the fireplace. It makes them feel special and important.
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