i assigned chores around the house a while back, brought all their toys into the living room into baskets (they want to play in here with us and the big bucket of toys in their room was just getting dumped everywhere). i went around with them the first time we did this and showed them what toys went into what basket and then told them the names of the baskets. at first we used a chart and when i realized this might actually work i drew out the pictures on paper, colored them, and covered them with contact paper. i have tried assigning them and switching them, but i discovered that they like the suspense much better if i put them in a jar and mix them up and have them draw a new one out after each chore is completed. i have to oversee these and tell them to go room by room, but it really is amazing how clean the house is when they’re through. we do this about once a day – i no longer stress on the condition of the house or worry that i should be cleaning, because now i know it will be clean once a day. notice, i included not only toys, but dishes, dirty laundry, trash, and clean laundry that belongs to them. they also wipe the table, sweep (kind of!), and vacuum. don’t get me wrong, there’s always weeping and wailing involved in this process. but now, we have a cleaner house and they are actually happier and calmer after it’s all done. i always show them what they’ve accomplished when they’re done and we do give them a $0.35 allowance on saturday if they’ve worked all week so that they have something to give for offerings in church. (we don’t really give them an option of cleaning except to say that “you can sit on your bed for the rest of the day either until you’ve done the chores or until it’s time to go to sleep” – yeah, we’re mean like that) i’ve included some close-ups because i think it’s funny what kind of toy baskets we have.
and of course…
