Working Together!

With this new parenting strategy we are trying to basically raise, independent, hard working, competent adults. That's always been my goal when it comes to my kids. As they grow they need to be taking on more and more responsibility. Just like once they get old enough you stop dressing them and once they grow up enough you don't do their laundry. 

On Saturday April 29th I had a ton to do. I had to get our house cleaned up....we were having friends over for lunch the next day right after church got out, I was volunteering at the MOPS Rummage sale, Michael and the kids were going down to my parents to hang out with my Aunt & Uncle that were town and then after the Rummage sale I headed down to hang out with them as well. The only time I had to clean the house was that morning. I decided that it was going to take everyone pitching in. Michael was gone....he had to work a bit in the morning and then he was helping some friends from church move. Seriously busy!!!

I warned the kids that we were going to sit down and I was going to go over all the things that needed to get done. I gave them 10 minutes or so to finish whatever they were doing and then we sat down. 

I listed out all the things that needed to be done and I separated them by inside jobs and outside jobs. Then I took a piece of paper and wrote each of the kids names on them. Then I started to divide out the jobs. The older boys got more than the younger two. I also listed out the daily tasks that they were supposed to do as well. 

After dividing up the jobs....yes I gave myself some too! Then I talked with the kids about the order of importance when it comes to doing a job. For example Zeke wasn't going to be able to hose down the deck until after Owen cleared the deck and after Ella wiped off the table and the bench. Also Ella should wash the dining room table first since Jackson was going to need to sweep. I ended up going through and numbering each of the kids jobs so they could do them in the best possible order. 

Here are the boys lists. 

I will say this was a lot of prep work, but it was absolutely AMAZING!!! They all did so great and no one complained. Owen did get one more job added on from Jack's list because he was purposefully bugging Jack, but other than that it was fine. Well....Zeke did hose himself down when he was hosing down the deck. He was crying his head off and I was laughing, but that wasn't awful! Laughter is good medicine! 

Overall I could not have gotten all this done without them and it was such a great learning experience for them. I just so proud of my kiddos and how they are learning and growing and becoming awesome helpers!!!