My chore charts don't work. They are cute and fun, but my kids just don't use them! I think I need yet another idea - something that doesn't take up space, and is in a location that will be SEEN!
We have 2 sets of chore charts right now. One set hangs in their rooms, the other set hangs in the laundry room ... I'm pretty sure that's why they don't get used :P
Here's the ones in the laundry room:
If my laundry room were clean and organized, they might get used more, but lets just be realistic for now. I won't be cleaning and organizing at that level for a few months. But, I desperately need my kids to help around the house.
Without my direct daily attention, our entry way currently looks like this (seriously scary!!!):
I'm tired of my house falling to pieces, but I am not willing to over-do anything while on partial bedrest - I like being allowed to do a few things once in a while, and if I'm not "good", I'll end up on complete bedrest (yuck!) SO - the trick is to motivate my children without DOING it for them.
Any suggestions or ideas?
Anyone?
Anyone?
3 comments:
we do a quick 5 minute everyone picks up and what they don't pick up I will give away to DI or throw in the trash. (if it is expensive you can always put it away for a week) that usually gets them moving. I also don't alow any fun until the work is done.
We do that too, when I have the energy to supervise. That's the problem! Without my supervision, nothing actually gets done, and I'm too tired lately to pick that battle!
I just read about a fun idea in Family Fun magazine. It is called the 60 second clean up. You set the timer for 60 seconds and everyone in that room or which ever room they are in stops what they are doing and cleans as fast as they can for 60 seconds. The trick to this is to make sure you are not making them clean after the 60 seconds. Even if the room is not quite clean. I use it when my kids want to go out and play or watch a movie, play on the computer, etc. Let them know that they can go out but only if they do a 60 second clean and if they clean as fast as they can then they get their reward. So far my kids love it and it has been keeping our house so much cleaner. Also something that I found helps is to have a garbage bag in the room and a basket before the cleaning begins. Everything that does not belong in that room goes in the basket. Or have one basket for each of your kids and a parent basket and then the messes go in the baskets and the kids know who is making the most mess and has to clean up more.
Hope this helps. Sorry to hear about the bedrest.'
Dawn
Post a Comment