The older my kids get, the lazier I become.
A couple of years ago, I had created our first chore chart for Ben and Tamara, to earn money for school banking at the end of each week. Last year, I had revised the chart, and created an updated one (which it appears I was too lazy to blog about).
I have recently created a "new and improved" version of all the previous charts combined, which debuted in our household last week!
To be completely honest, I am both amazed, and ashamed at myself.
When I think of the characteristics of a good mum, I think of a woman who loves and cares for her kids equally, a woman who makes sure they're up in time for school, prepares her children's lunches, ensures they're dressed appropriately for school, helps with homework, provides regular and balanced meals, reads books to them at bedtime, picks up after them (rubbish/clothes, etc), and generally has a calm and content disposition throughout the day, because she is full of love for those in her family.
She would never scream in their faces about trivial issues, like who ate the last of the M 'n' Ms, for example.
... I am not that kind of mum.
I break promises, break hearts, send kids to school with lunchboxes full of processed foods, refuse to buy new school uniforms even though they're growing out of them, assume they're lying about not having homework/cleaning their rooms/or breaking an arm, and, feed them lollies and chips for afternoon tea.
To make their lives worse, they also now do my housework for me!
This has been the chore chart progression so far.
2012:
In 2013, the chart was upgraded to a morning and afternoon chart:
I had added things like putting toys into the toy box, packing clothes away, playing with the dog, watering plants, taking the compost out, making beds, straightening pairs of shoes, and vacuuming.
It was also a bit ambitious to add Jonathan to the chore chart, as he sometimes doesn't even know how to get dressed without dribbling on himself.
And now, in 2014, I wonder if there's anything left for me to do:
Since I'm also a realist (or too lazy to convince him that he needs to do more around the house than play games and watch Play School), I've taken Jonathan off the chore chart until he starts school next year.
The few (but extremely essential-for-my-relaxation time) things that have been added to the chart include:
- Rolling up pairs of socks
- Taking out the trash
- Taking out the recycling
- Packing away clothes
- Tidying up a bookshelf
- Vacuuming an area* of the house
* I've created 8 "areas" in the house, which means that with this item added to the chore chart:
A) The whole house gets vacuumed once a fortnight, and
B) It's not even me doing it!!
I figure that the more things I get my kids to do around the house, the more time I have to sleep, drink coffee, and watch TV, because isn't that what stay-at-home-mums do all day anyway??
If I remember, I do give my kids money for school banking on a Friday, for all their efforts during the week with the chores. It's so nice, particularly having someone else to roll socks, play with the dog, and vacuum the house...
Or, just someone doing them full stop ;)
A couple of years ago, I had created our first chore chart for Ben and Tamara, to earn money for school banking at the end of each week. Last year, I had revised the chart, and created an updated one (which it appears I was too lazy to blog about).
I have recently created a "new and improved" version of all the previous charts combined, which debuted in our household last week!
To be completely honest, I am both amazed, and ashamed at myself.
When I think of the characteristics of a good mum, I think of a woman who loves and cares for her kids equally, a woman who makes sure they're up in time for school, prepares her children's lunches, ensures they're dressed appropriately for school, helps with homework, provides regular and balanced meals, reads books to them at bedtime, picks up after them (rubbish/clothes, etc), and generally has a calm and content disposition throughout the day, because she is full of love for those in her family.
She would never scream in their faces about trivial issues, like who ate the last of the M 'n' Ms, for example.
... I am not that kind of mum.
I break promises, break hearts, send kids to school with lunchboxes full of processed foods, refuse to buy new school uniforms even though they're growing out of them, assume they're lying about not having homework/cleaning their rooms/or breaking an arm, and, feed them lollies and chips for afternoon tea.
To make their lives worse, they also now do my housework for me!
This has been the chore chart progression so far.
2012:
I had added things like putting toys into the toy box, packing clothes away, playing with the dog, watering plants, taking the compost out, making beds, straightening pairs of shoes, and vacuuming.
It was also a bit ambitious to add Jonathan to the chore chart, as he sometimes doesn't even know how to get dressed without dribbling on himself.
And now, in 2014, I wonder if there's anything left for me to do:
Since I'm also a realist (or too lazy to convince him that he needs to do more around the house than play games and watch Play School), I've taken Jonathan off the chore chart until he starts school next year.
The few (but extremely essential-for-my-relaxation time) things that have been added to the chart include:
- Rolling up pairs of socks
- Taking out the trash
- Taking out the recycling
- Packing away clothes
- Tidying up a bookshelf
- Vacuuming an area* of the house
* I've created 8 "areas" in the house, which means that with this item added to the chore chart:
A) The whole house gets vacuumed once a fortnight, and
B) It's not even me doing it!!
I figure that the more things I get my kids to do around the house, the more time I have to sleep, drink coffee, and watch TV, because isn't that what stay-at-home-mums do all day anyway??
If I remember, I do give my kids money for school banking on a Friday, for all their efforts during the week with the chores. It's so nice, particularly having someone else to roll socks, play with the dog, and vacuum the house...
Or, just someone doing them full stop ;)
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