Chores for children

I've had several people ask how I started to teach my children to do chores, so I thought this would be a good place to start.  There are so many ways to do this, but I will share what has worked for us.

My girls, we'll call them M and C, have daily chores and my boys, we'll call them L and H, don't.  M is 6 years old and has been helping out around the house for quite some time now.  C is 4 years old and has recently begun having more responsibilities.  When I found out I was pregnant with H, I knew that I had to get going on teaching the girls more individual responsibility.  I knew my time was going to be spent taking care of a baby, but that certain things were going to still need to be done, and my girls were old enough to help with that.

I started teaching them small tasks such as sorting laundry and putting silverware away.  Once they were proficient at that, I began having them take on bigger jobs.  Some things they have started doing, then I decided it was too big of a job, so I've stopped having them do those things.  For example, I thought M could handle cleaning toilets, but after a couple of weeks of close instruction from me, it was too big of a job.  Another job she began was emptying the dishwasher, and I carefully showed her how to stack dishes on the counter, because she can't reach all the cabinets...job success!  I haven't emptied my dishwasher in over 6 months, and she has learned a great life skill!

Here are some links to great chore charts!

Fab N' Free has an entire post of free chore chart options!  She links to all the original sites in her one post, so I don't feel the need to reinvent the wheel.

All in all, by having my children help with jobs around the house, I am teaching them life skills they will use as adults, teaching them responsibility and being part of a family and lessening my own work load.  I'm not robbing them of childhood fun, they have plenty of time to play and pretend, but I'm preparing them for a successful life. 

Finding my "voice"

Boy has this blog morphed several times.  I really want to write a blog that people enjoy reading, but finding my "voice" so to speak has been difficult for me.  I thought I would love to be able to dump my mommy brain here, so I started with a confessions type blog.  Well, that didn't work.  Then I moved on to a baby blog...with all things baby.  It went okay for a while, but I ran out of interesting things to write about pretty quickly.  Well, things that were interesting for me...and I need to stay interested enough to write, ha!

Now, here I am again, trying to find my "voice".  I'm hoping this is a winner because this is the most excited I've been to sit down and write this blog...ever.  I'm just going to be content to "mommy blog".  I have been really growing a lot as a mom and wife recently, and it's pretty exciting!  Also, I love to organize things around our home and need someone to share them with.  I get a lot of ideas from organizing blogs, but I also have to tweak ideas to fit my home and lifestyle, and I hope that will be helpful.

So, hold on tight, I'm hoping this is going to be a long ride!

And....she's back!

   Whew!  Finally getting back into this thing called blogging.  You ever have one of those days where you feel like you accomplished a lot, then looked around and realized you really accomplished next to nothing?  Well, I've had a season of that.  During this season I've been jotting down blog post ideas, so I should have some fresh things to "discuss" coming soon.
   I've also had people I know say they enjoy reading just to feel like they are having a conversation with me, so I may do some "everyday" kind of posts every now and then.  Can't wait to dive in to mom blogging soon!  Thanks for checking back...assuming you have.  Ha!

A Robber named: Comparison

I'm finally back after taking a break for family vacation and Christmas.  I intended to post a few times during the last month, but it never happened.  Real life is beginning again, so back to blogging.

When it comes to raising children, it is so easy to compare your family to another family.  This is something that I know is wrong to do and not a good idea to do, but it's something I still do often. (Why is it that we do this as women?)  It becomes especially hard when it's someone close to you.

This is what I'm struggling with right now.  Comparison.  It's stealing my joy, but I'm determined to not let it.  Let me explain.

We have chosen to homeschool our children.  It's a decision we've come to after prayer and discussion, and I know it's the right decision for our family.  I love all of the flexibility that comes with homeschooling and the freedom we have, most of the time.  But, I am with my children all day, every day.  There is the occasional class or lesson that gives me a little down time from having all 4 children, but that's not too often.

I sometimes get jealous of the people who send their children to school.  I daydream about how much I could accomplish and how nice my home would look if I had time to really clean it.  I "compare" my family with those whose children are in school and I get jealous of the "free" time they have.  Sometimes, I even get judgmental. Gasp!  I think about how their children would be better off being home vs. being in school.  And I realize how ridiculous I am!  Double Gasp!  Then I sit and sort my thoughts out and pray and realize I am right where God wants me with our family...and I really am happy.

So, all that to say...comparison is a joy robber.