Chores

So, to "live in this house we all work."  I sound like my mother and I don't care.


About 2 weeks ago I set up an online chore chart for the kids.  So, far so good.

http://www.myjobchart.com/

We do not pay our kids to do chores, but this sight has a great system of earning point (you can do money also if that is what works for your family) and then the kids decide how to use the points. They have a section for giving, saving, and spending.  I LOVE THAT!!!  It teaches good budgeting habits now so when it really matters it might be ingrained in them!  That is my hope at least.  So, the log in and I get an email of what they did and did not do.  It is new so it is fun.  We will see how long it last.

There is a part of me that loves the job of cleaning the house.  It is an instant gratification kinda of thing.   But, it is also really depressing.  I mean you spend all day doing laundry and then put clothes in the hamper before you go to bed.  Chores are never ending.  They always need to be done.  But, you know, when my house says clean for more than 5 minutes that will mean the kids are all grown up and out of the house.   I am not quite ready for that, so I will take the never ending job of chores.

I will admit that in our budget we have money for a house keeper to come every other week.  We took it out and then I just decided that this was something that I wanted to budget for.  So, we cut cable.  My life is no busier than others, but this is just something that makes my life better and then in turn makes our family better.

Just because we have this extra does not mean that the family does not work together keeping the house together each week.

Perspective:  It is fun to work as a family.  It is also ok to save for something that you really want.

Here is a break down of how we do things:  Remember this is a list (that I got from a friend)....not what REALLY happens every day. I print this and put it on the fridge:

Make Beds

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

Load/Unload Dishwasher

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

Clean Countertops

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

Clean Table/Swiffer Kitchen

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

Load of Laundry

M

T

W

Th

F

s

Pick Up Toys/Straighten LR

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

Monday- Bathrooms

        mop floors
        clean sink/counters
        toilets/tub/shower

Tuesday- Bedrooms

        Trash

        Wash/Change Bedding

        vacuum BR

Wednesday- Kitchen

        counters

        sweep/mop

        microwave

        clean out fridge/pantry

Thursday- Floors/Dusting

        Vacuum

        Sweep

        mop

Friday- shopping

       Kroger/Aldi

Saturday-Lawn/Cars

        Mow

        Edge

        Hedges

        Vacuum/wash the car

I am a blogger newbie and can not for the life of me figure out how to upload the PDF of the file.  :-email me if it you want it.