Chores and New Habits
In an effort to streamline home, include the kids in the work that needs to be done, and to build new habits needed for school, we have been doing “chore charts” again. Emily and Matthew love it because we use a rubber stamp set and lots of colors and smiley faces. I (Melanie) love it because it reminds me what to follow up on with them, plus I have my own to hold me accountable. It takes us about an hour to have fun getting them ready for a whole month at a time and it’s worth it. We began in August and are now moving into Septembers’ sheets. Our chores include “cheerful attitudes”, dishes, doing Elizabeth’s p.t. excercises, and making our beds. The one that causes the kids the most trouble is brushing their teeth every morning after breakfast. It is said that it takes six weeks or so to develop new habits and we’re on week four . . . The one that I stumble on the most is reading to them daily, esp. from the Bible. We were attempting to do some reading in Proverbs this summer and we began in July but are only about 1/4 the way through and it’s now two months later. We’ll keep at it, even if it takes us the rest of the year to finish! Mind you, they love doing it, it’s me that can’t seem to find the right time to make it happen. Maybe when school starts . . . which incidentally is this Wednesday. Overall it’s been a really good thing for all of us as the discipline and the joint effort have their own rewards. It’s also a place to look at attitudes and “shine a light” on them when they need fixing. I’ve gotten a few frowny faces, I admit (more than the kids actually!) but it’s good modeling to know when you’ve done wrong and take the consequences!
