We are past the point of no return when it comes to having a small family. I mean, let's face it. Even if Baby #6 is our last baby, we will still have 6 kids in 6 years and that officially qualifies us as a LARGE family.
I mean, we do drive a 15 passenger van as our family vehicle, afterall.
So, how do large families do it? How do they manage their homes, keep their sanity and still love each other at the end of the day?
Truth is, I'm still figuring that out.
I'm still figuring out what it looks like to have all these kids, a house, a husband, homeschool, cook dinners, make lunches, change diapers, give baths, play games, have fun, kiss boo boos and still have the energy/time/desire to clean up my house.
It would be a daunting task for me to keep a clean house even if we didn't have (almost) 6 kids. But we do have (almost) 6 kids and we do do all those things I just mentioned above (I know, I just said do do). And you know what I've figured out?
What works now may not work forever.
It may not work in 2 months. And, I'm okay with things changing, obviously. But, I've figured out that my kids can work. At least the big kids can, and man are they good at it!
So, this past week we re-implemented chores. We did chores in the past and then Mom and Dad got lax on enforcing them and it had not been something we'd gotten back around to doing. And, truth-be-told, the last time we did chores I wasn't creative enough. The same kid did the same chore week after week after week.
But this go round looks to be much better. And, the kids seem to love it. I got our basic chore charts here and then customized them to fit our needs. Even the big kids helping in the little areas helps us BIG time.
Each week each of the big kids has "Helper Chores." These are things they do just because they live in this house. I do things just because I live here and so should they. Because they live here they can make their beds, clean up their rooms, pick up their toys and put their dirty clothes in the laundry room.
Simple huh? And basically, if they truly clean their rooms and pick up their toys, they've accomplished all 4 "Helper Chores" in about 15 minutes. Not to shabby.
Then, they have their "Chore Lists." The difference in their Helper Chores and their Chore Lists is simple.
Money.
They get paid for their Chore Lists and they don't for their Helper Chores. Helper Chores are things they do just because they live here, remember? I don't get paid for diaper changes. But oh how I wish I did.
They receive $0.05 per chore on their Chore List. Saturday is pay day. We keep track of which chores they do with a sticker chart. Each week the chart changes so that the chores for each kid for that week changes. They still do all their Helper Chores as normal but their Chore Lists are different.
I distinguished between Helper Chores and Chore Lists based on one very important principle. Helper Chores are always things they can do WITHOUT MY HELP. Chore List chores are things that they need my help with. I feel that they should pull their weight around here because they help make the messes. Thus, HELPER chores. Their Chore Lists chores are things that they do (work) to relieve my work load. Thus, things they can get paid for.
And, they take SO MUCH PRIDE in those chores, let me tell you. This week one of Ashlee's Chore List chores was helping with the laundry.
Have mercy, you'd have thought she'd hit the jackpot.
Naturally, all she does is either load the washer or transfer from the washer to the dryer. But, she's oh-so-proud of herself. In addition to laundry, Ashlee was also responsible for helping me cook and for checking the trashcans.
Elizabeth's chores were feeding the dog and sweeping/vacuuming under the table after meals. Lucas' chores included dusting (I pick a piece of furniture and spray a little dusting spray on a cloth and let him go to town) and setting the table.
Obviously, we do not expect perfection. I mean, look at this bed made by Elizabeth...
Now, check out her face. Serious pride right there. And you know what? Her sheets and comforter are on the bed and resemble a bed that is made and that's good enough for me!
Here's a shot of Lucas in his all clean room...
Yes, he had help with his bed on this day. Notice that his clean room it's NOT perfect. But, neither am I. And if you've been to my house anytime ever you'll know that I don't expect perfection often.
How could I?
It would stress me out. And, it would stress my kids out. So we go with our best effort?
And, for us it works. Our home is a little cleaner. Our kids a little prouder of their contributions. And we train them, little by little, to do it a little better the next time.
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What do you do to make your home run more smoothly?
I mean, we do drive a 15 passenger van as our family vehicle, afterall.
So, how do large families do it? How do they manage their homes, keep their sanity and still love each other at the end of the day?
Truth is, I'm still figuring that out.
I'm still figuring out what it looks like to have all these kids, a house, a husband, homeschool, cook dinners, make lunches, change diapers, give baths, play games, have fun, kiss boo boos and still have the energy/time/desire to clean up my house.
It would be a daunting task for me to keep a clean house even if we didn't have (almost) 6 kids. But we do have (almost) 6 kids and we do do all those things I just mentioned above (I know, I just said do do). And you know what I've figured out?
What works now may not work forever.
It may not work in 2 months. And, I'm okay with things changing, obviously. But, I've figured out that my kids can work. At least the big kids can, and man are they good at it!
So, this past week we re-implemented chores. We did chores in the past and then Mom and Dad got lax on enforcing them and it had not been something we'd gotten back around to doing. And, truth-be-told, the last time we did chores I wasn't creative enough. The same kid did the same chore week after week after week.
But this go round looks to be much better. And, the kids seem to love it. I got our basic chore charts here and then customized them to fit our needs. Even the big kids helping in the little areas helps us BIG time.
Each week each of the big kids has "Helper Chores." These are things they do just because they live in this house. I do things just because I live here and so should they. Because they live here they can make their beds, clean up their rooms, pick up their toys and put their dirty clothes in the laundry room.
Simple huh? And basically, if they truly clean their rooms and pick up their toys, they've accomplished all 4 "Helper Chores" in about 15 minutes. Not to shabby.
Then, they have their "Chore Lists." The difference in their Helper Chores and their Chore Lists is simple.
Money.
They get paid for their Chore Lists and they don't for their Helper Chores. Helper Chores are things they do just because they live here, remember? I don't get paid for diaper changes. But oh how I wish I did.
They receive $0.05 per chore on their Chore List. Saturday is pay day. We keep track of which chores they do with a sticker chart. Each week the chart changes so that the chores for each kid for that week changes. They still do all their Helper Chores as normal but their Chore Lists are different.
I distinguished between Helper Chores and Chore Lists based on one very important principle. Helper Chores are always things they can do WITHOUT MY HELP. Chore List chores are things that they need my help with. I feel that they should pull their weight around here because they help make the messes. Thus, HELPER chores. Their Chore Lists chores are things that they do (work) to relieve my work load. Thus, things they can get paid for.
And, they take SO MUCH PRIDE in those chores, let me tell you. This week one of Ashlee's Chore List chores was helping with the laundry.
Have mercy, you'd have thought she'd hit the jackpot.
Naturally, all she does is either load the washer or transfer from the washer to the dryer. But, she's oh-so-proud of herself. In addition to laundry, Ashlee was also responsible for helping me cook and for checking the trashcans.
Elizabeth's chores were feeding the dog and sweeping/vacuuming under the table after meals. Lucas' chores included dusting (I pick a piece of furniture and spray a little dusting spray on a cloth and let him go to town) and setting the table.
Obviously, we do not expect perfection. I mean, look at this bed made by Elizabeth...
Now, check out her face. Serious pride right there. And you know what? Her sheets and comforter are on the bed and resemble a bed that is made and that's good enough for me!Here's a shot of Lucas in his all clean room...
Yes, he had help with his bed on this day. Notice that his clean room it's NOT perfect. But, neither am I. And if you've been to my house anytime ever you'll know that I don't expect perfection often.How could I?
It would stress me out. And, it would stress my kids out. So we go with our best effort?
And, for us it works. Our home is a little cleaner. Our kids a little prouder of their contributions. And we train them, little by little, to do it a little better the next time.
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What do you do to make your home run more smoothly?