What Works For Us

After prompting from several friends I decided I would share with you the system that we use around our house to help keep things in order. Pictured first, is the Chore chart that we have used previously. I have recently expanded it (insert sad children here) and had to change the format a bit in doing so. More about that later, though.

A chart is not fool proof, and sometimes we get off track, but it has been a great blessing to have things planned out. While this chart and the help of other more organized people have helped me to develop "What works for us", I must certainly give credit to the Lord. I don't think I would be an effective mother without the strength and help that he gives me daily.

When you have children that are of helping age (which is younger than most people think), you have the opportunity of a lifetime!

How many times have we all sat and thought about the luxury of having a maid come in and clean our house for us? Or can you imagine having "live in" help? Truth be told, if you have children, you do have "live in" help! No, I'm not talking about ordering your children around as a taskmaster, or treating them like servants. I'm talking about how you can teach your children to participate in and be an active member of the family. Your children live in your house and eat food there, you clothe them, give them a place to sleep, a place of warmth and an opportunity for personal hygiene (in the case of boys this must be enforced as a requirement). It is only reasonable that they help take care of your home. Why should us mother's be all tired and strung out trying to keep everything up all by ourselves?? We shouldn't! Plain and simple!

Another thing that is also a hindrance to making this work is ME or "us mothers". Sometimes the "us mothers" seem to get caught up in getting things done "our way" or making things look "perfect". When we do this we short change ourselves of two things. First, we miss opportunities to train our children in everyday responsibilities. Things that will shape who they are and how they carry themselves on in life. Secondly, we miss out on enjoying life with our children because we're too caught up in running the household. The old saying that says "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy", is too often more than just a funny plaque decorating a home, it becomes sickening air that fills our home's. When we have children underfoot we have to remember that these are the days of the trenches. The days where we get down and dirty, tired and worn out doing the physical labor of training our children. Later, after they're grown we'll move into the Museum days. These are the days when we can clean our house to museum condition and it will stay that way for days on end. For now, however, it just makes sense that we can all pitch in together and do the jobs that we're capable of doing well (or learning to do well).

In my next post, I'll go through the steps of how to assemble a chore chart and how to implement it. If you think of any questions between now and then, just leave me a comment and I'll respond!