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!