“Before I knew it, it was time to set the table for lunch. Josiah and I raced to see who could get done with our jobs first. I slowed down at the end so Josiah could catch up---then I let him win! Mommy took me into her room alone and gave me a million hugs. She said she was so happy that I was learning to see how others feel—and that I make Josiah feel important. I think she’ll probably tell Daddy, and he’ll say, “Jonathan, Mommy told me a good report about you!” I love it when he says that—he always has a big smile on his face and tears in his eyes when he does.”*
Okay…our current “daily chore chart” is below. I have to (just have to, you know) enumerate a few more points first:
1. I only have three kids at home now—easy breezy compared to ten years ago!
2. I have no littles. Our youngest is nearly twelve. Thus, there are very few “partial jobs.” Most jobs are given to workers in their entirety. This is a luxury of those with older children who have been trained in diligence. I say that to encourage those with little kids only—train, train, train. Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up. Now. You will be so glad you did later. (Not just for chore times either; this is training for a lifetime—and we have young adult children who do amazing things in part as a result of this early training.)
3. Because of number two (no littles), I do not have the myriad messes that come with little kids. When I had littles, we had blitzes (stop and pick up everything), three or four chore sessions, long naps for the six and under crowd (!), and more to help regulate the messes—and offset the imbalance of many littles and few olders to help with all the messes.
4. We let a lot slide. Ray works forty hours a week at his job and another ten to twenty on our publishing company and family ministry. I work thirty hours a week on our publishing company and family ministry and another twenty homeschooling the boys. I am not a perfectionist and do not have too high expectations. There’s simply not time for those.
5. Again, we have a small house and small property. We are much more into people (namely our children!) than we are things. If we had more things, we would have more work—not an option right now…maybe later when our company and ministry are not so young and high maintenance.
6. Finally, I do not compare myself with others very much. I have learned to do what I need to be doing right now with what I have—and not constantly wish and dream and compare. There are many things I used to do before I worked so much that I do not do now in terms of homemaking. It just has to be okay that I can’t get to all of that anymore. Comparing with others is dangerous for your emotions, attitude, and spirit. Focus on your life and your family’s needs—not on others.
Reishes’ Daily Work
Morning Routines (20 mins)—all three boys
Room: straighten your bedroom
Groom: all personal hygiene
Dress: dressed for the day
Mess: clean up any messes you have out (books, water glasses, etc. from previous night)
Jurisdictions (5 mins)—straighten the rooms you are in charge of
Chore Session I (20 to 30 mins)—Before Breakfast
Jacob (age 11):
Trash in all rooms
Unload dishes
Wash/rinse any new dishes
Load any new dishes
Mom’s room straightened (which doubles as school storage/library)
Laundry M-W-F (complete from start to finish--this carries over into Chore Session II)
Wipe down kitchen trash can
Josiah (age 15):
Daily cleaning main bathroom
Daily cleaning Mom’s bathroom (which has the only shower; really isn’t “Mom’s bathroom”)
TH—Your hang up load of laundry
Zone Weekly Cleaning:
M—Bath tub
T: Both stools deep cleaning
W: Main bathroom floor
Th: Mom’s bathroom floor
Fri: Shower
Jonathan (age 17):
Clean kitchen before cooking, as needed
Cook breakfast for three boys
Clean up cooking messes
Organize fridge
TUES—your hang up laundry
Zone Weekly Cleaning
M—Scrub micro, sink, windows in kitchen
T—Scrub fridge, stove, spices
Th—Sweep and mop kitchen and dining room
F: Freezer inside house
Chore Session II (after lunch):
Jacob (age 11)
Room to room to put away what you have had out*
Jurisdictions straightened*
Straighten kitchen after lunch; run dishwasher
M-W-F Finish laundry
Rotating jobs:
M—Pick up yard, sweep porch
T—Sweep/vacuum all of downstairs (4 small rooms)
W--Clean out vehicles and organize garage
Th—Chef work (cooking dinner that day)
F—Job from Mom
Unload dishwasher before dinner later in day
Josiah
Room to room
Jurisdictions
Th: Finish your hang ups
15 min household blitz or help Mom
Wed: Chef work (cooking dinner that day)
Jonathan (17)
Room to room
Jurisdictions
Tues: Your hang up laundry finished
15 mins organizing upstairs
Mon: Chef work
*Tomorrow I will discuss other systems we have in place to get weekly and other work done, such as room to room, jurisdictions, blitzes, Maintenance Moments With Mom, mega cooking, family work sessions, and more!
*For the complete story of “Jonathan’s Journal, follow this link: http://positiveparenting3-6-5.blogspot.com/2010/03/day-seventy-eight-introducing-jonathans.html
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