We All Live Here
I don't know anyone who loves cleaning their house. It is not fun. But I do love living in a clean house. Living in a dirty house is gross and embarrassing. Don't like cleaning and don't like living in a mess do not go together. You are going to have to do something that you don't want to do. Personally, I'd rather clean and then be done with it. Don't like doing it but I really like the end result. So I clean. But I am not the only one that lives in my house so I don't think that cleaning should just be my responsibility. (Imagine that!) Despite what my children sometimes think, I am not their personal maid. During the school year I ask them to do specific chores a couple of times a week, depending on the amount of homework they have. Usually I have them empty of fill the dishwasher or put laundry away. Simple, quick chores. (Even my husband who works all day helps clean the house. He's awesome at vacuuming, sweeping and taking out the trash.)
However, during the summer months the kids have time to do more. So I ask more of them. Each child gets their own chore list that has basic everyday things on them. Make your bed. (I don't care that you will just mess it up again. You have time so make your bed.) Clean your room. (The first time you clean it is the hardest. After that it only takes you a few minutes to pick up the few things from off your floor.) Exercise. (Seriously get off your electronics and do something physical.) Read for 30 minutes. (Let's not lose everything we learned this year. Plus reading is fun. Enjoy it.) Plus another item or two. (My daughter has a hamster. She needs to take care of her.)
The last chore on their list is the one that they complain about the most. It is do a chore from "The Chore List." They have to pick a chore off of a list that I have on the fridge. It is my favorite chore on their list because it gets weekly chores done too. On this list I have separated it by days of the week. For instance, on Mondays we clean the kitchen. So the chores listed on Mondays are things like wash all the dishes, including the things that don't fit in the dishwasher. Clean the sink and counters with cleanser or another cleaner. Clean the inside and outside of fridge. And a few more. They only have to pick one. But they do need to do it. I find that it works better for us if they tell me what they want to do the night before. That is suppose to help them remember, but that is not always the case. Today my son wanted to go to his friend's house. I asked him if he'd done his chore yet. He hadn't of course. So I told him that I would take him when he was done with it. He couldn't even argue with me because he had chose it the night before. So he just quickly did it and then he went off with friends.
Even though they act like they are going to die if they have to do a chores, they don't. They live. Their friends are still around. Life continues on. It is just cleaner.
I found that it is best if I write a list of what my chores are as well. For some reason the second you ask your kids to help with the cleaning, they think that you are making them do everything! But when they see that I have a list too they realize that I do do some things. I'm okay with that. I found the best chore list on Pinterest a few months ago and I loved it. There were only a few items on the list, but it helped you keep your house looking great all the time. (I told you that I don't really like to clean, so the idea intrigued me to say the least.) It's from Money Saving Mom and you can find it here. This list is practical for me. And the idea of emptying the dishwasher in the morning and then everyone puts their own dishes in as they use them throughout the day is genius! It's one of those "Why didn't I think of that?" ideas. But I didn't and she did and it has made my life easier! Easier and clean. Two words that I didn't think went together. But they do and that makes me happy!
However, during the summer months the kids have time to do more. So I ask more of them. Each child gets their own chore list that has basic everyday things on them. Make your bed. (I don't care that you will just mess it up again. You have time so make your bed.) Clean your room. (The first time you clean it is the hardest. After that it only takes you a few minutes to pick up the few things from off your floor.) Exercise. (Seriously get off your electronics and do something physical.) Read for 30 minutes. (Let's not lose everything we learned this year. Plus reading is fun. Enjoy it.) Plus another item or two. (My daughter has a hamster. She needs to take care of her.)
The last chore on their list is the one that they complain about the most. It is do a chore from "The Chore List." They have to pick a chore off of a list that I have on the fridge. It is my favorite chore on their list because it gets weekly chores done too. On this list I have separated it by days of the week. For instance, on Mondays we clean the kitchen. So the chores listed on Mondays are things like wash all the dishes, including the things that don't fit in the dishwasher. Clean the sink and counters with cleanser or another cleaner. Clean the inside and outside of fridge. And a few more. They only have to pick one. But they do need to do it. I find that it works better for us if they tell me what they want to do the night before. That is suppose to help them remember, but that is not always the case. Today my son wanted to go to his friend's house. I asked him if he'd done his chore yet. He hadn't of course. So I told him that I would take him when he was done with it. He couldn't even argue with me because he had chose it the night before. So he just quickly did it and then he went off with friends.
Even though they act like they are going to die if they have to do a chores, they don't. They live. Their friends are still around. Life continues on. It is just cleaner.
I found that it is best if I write a list of what my chores are as well. For some reason the second you ask your kids to help with the cleaning, they think that you are making them do everything! But when they see that I have a list too they realize that I do do some things. I'm okay with that. I found the best chore list on Pinterest a few months ago and I loved it. There were only a few items on the list, but it helped you keep your house looking great all the time. (I told you that I don't really like to clean, so the idea intrigued me to say the least.) It's from Money Saving Mom and you can find it here. This list is practical for me. And the idea of emptying the dishwasher in the morning and then everyone puts their own dishes in as they use them throughout the day is genius! It's one of those "Why didn't I think of that?" ideas. But I didn't and she did and it has made my life easier! Easier and clean. Two words that I didn't think went together. But they do and that makes me happy!
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