Monday, August 18, 2008

I'm Tackling Chores!

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Just so you know, there are ten of us and currently we reside in a space built for two.

We will be able to spread out soon, but for now, we are living in the mother-in-law's quarters attached to the home we are building. (Our unfinished kitchen is pictured on right.) They say that it is easy to clean a small house, but with us, there are so many people, that the messes made are extremely concentrated! Sometimes, when the twins are in the living room and we are utilizing their "contraption" (one of those huge saucer things with the toys that surround them) and entertaining them on the rug with blankets, there is literally no room to walk!

Now that school is about to start, I have finally tackled something I have been putting off. I have come up with the chore list for the kids in order to try to keep order around here. This may seem like a daunting list, but just remember that there are five capable children working, and the list is split equitably according to age. At least I think it's equitable!

The six-year-old girl:



Before school:
Make bed
Bring down 5 hangers
Organize shoe closet
Gather the eggs
Clean off her stair (this is the fifth stair where I pile everything of hers that I find throughout the house as I'm cleaning)

After school:
One hour for homework or reading
Organize shoe closet
Clean bedroom
Clean off stair

After dinner:
Clean dishes off table
Help with ten-minute family clean-up session

The eight-year-old boy:


Before school:
Make bed
Bring down 5 hangers
Clean up any remaining dishes from breakfast and wipe off counters and island
Clean off stair

After school:
One hour for homework or reading
Sweep carport
Clean bedroom
Clean off stair

After dinner:
Put away all the food on the table
Help with ten-minute family clean-up session

The twelve-year-old boy:


Before school:
Make bed
Bring down 5 hangers
Put away large dishes that have dried from the previous night (I know, if I were supermom, there would be no dishes left out on my counter EVER. I would towel-dry them and put them away. But, obviously, I'm unsuper-mom.)
Clean bathroom (floor, sink, and mirror)
Clean off stair

After school:
One hour for homework or reading
Put away clothes I've folded
Clean bathroom
Clean bedroom
Clean off stair

Dinner-time:
Be dinner helper
Help with ten-minute family clean-up session

The thirteen-year-old girl:



Before school:
Make bed
Bring down 5 hangers
Feed chickens, bunnies, dog and cat
Clean living room
Clean off stair

After school:
One hour for homework or reading
Unload dishwasher
Hang up clothes I've laundered
Clean living room
Clean bedroom
Clean off stair

After dinner:
Finish table, island and sweeping
Help with ten-minute family clean-up session

The sixteen-year-old boy:


Before school:
Make bed
Bring down 5 hangers
Unload dishwasher
Take out trash
Clean off stair

After school:
One hour for homework or reading
Clean off stair
He will be exempt from other after-school chores as he has football practice until 6:30 every evening.

After dinner:
Wash dishes and clean counters
Help with ten-minute family clean-up session

If you'll notice, the kids are assigned the same tasks morning and afternoon. This, in a way, enables them to have "jurisdiction" over the same room all week, hopefully making them feel ownership for keeping it clean. We shall see! This list is subject to change at any given time and doesn't include lots of twin-and-toddler-toting!


And what, you may ask, do I do all day? Eight to ten hours of breastfeeding twins! Oh, and blogging after midnight!



If you're still here, you get to read it...

The six-year-old, after eating her lunch: My hunger problem is solved!

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an awesome chore list!

Napaboaniya.Elaine Ling said...

I hope that list of chores will go through.
Help from everyone in the family is pretty essential in keeping the entire household...livable :)

Anonymous said...

WOW!!!!! you are amazing!!!!

and that kitchen is going to be FABULOUS!!!! i love it so far!!!!!

Christine said...

Very inspiring!

Kristi said...

Chore lists are a keep your sanity saver. Way to go!

The Apron Queen said...

You go girl! Keep those kiddos busy & helpful. Your sacrifice now will be so worth it when you are done. The kitchen looks amazing. :)

Confessions of an Apron Queen

Brenda said...

That is a great tackle! Making a back to school schedule has been on my To-Do List for awhile!
Gorgeous kitchen!

Lucy Stern said...

Boy your hands are full....lol I clicked on the picture of your new kitchen and it looks beautiful. Looks like granite countertops and lots of tile..I know that you will be happy when you get into your new home.

Hope the kids all follow their lists.

Maddy said...

We have chore lists for each one too although not a great deal of co-operation.
Best wishes

Kelley said...

that is great.... I love the stair idea. I will find a box that my sons stuff can all go into... then each night it goes up to his romm... Great idea. Thanks

More Than Words said...

Oh my gosh..you are my new hero..lol!! I have five children (all of age to do chores), and that is what I desperately need...a chore list!! Thank you!!!

Carla said...

More power to you, SUPERMOM! (I think your pretty super:), I don't think I have commented on your beautiful kids-especially those three HUGE eyed babies!!! God Bless you!

Audra Krell said...

This is so important, not just to keep things clean, but make everyone feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves. All children want to be needed and feel like they are an integral part of the family. This is really great.

Anonymous said...

Great list. You've inspired me....

Steffani said...

Thank you so much for commenting on my blog. It's really great to have blog friends.

Muthering Heights said...

That's a great system!

Anonymous said...

I let loose for the summer but I too need to get my chore list up and going. I am a bit OCD so I end up doing much of the house work myself just so its done the way I want. But I have been training my kids in some of my ways so my kids can learn how to be clean and neat.

Cute pics of kids ecspecially the three boys. I know I say this often but you are awesome!!!

Anonymous said...

Great chore list, I need to start making mine soon! I love the kitchen. I can only imagine how great it will be when it is finished!
Toni

Busymama Kellie said...

Oh my! You really have your hands full. And I complain about the hassles of 2 kids!

C said...

I wish I could have heard her say that in person!! Love it :-)
The chore lists are one of the reasons I idolize you. :-)
-Christy

Anonymous said...

I forgot to tell you how cool the church badge is on your blog--real neat.

Kelly Curtis said...

Way to go! This is an excellent chore list - thanks so much for joining in with School Year's Resolutions!

Keeley said...

How come your children have to bring down five hangers? For you to hang their clothes on after you've washed them and then they take their clothes upstairs again?

I think it's awesome you wrote this post on my birthday! Yes, I know that has nothing to do with anything really, but I just found it interesting. =)

Furthermore, the tiling in your house is a work of art and I love it.

Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven said...

Yes, Keeley, exactly. They take their hung-up clothes up to their rooms, but if I don't make them, the hangers never come down!

And thank you for the compliment on the tiling! We are now living in the new house and I never tire of looking at the kitchen backsplash!