Chores

Today I promised to take them swimming.  At the beginning of the summer, I told them we would try to get to the pool at least once every other week.  This might not seem a lot, but we also have the pass of all passes so we are also going to the movies every week, to play laser tag, and just in general do as much as we can this summer.  Well, today is pool day, and I told the kids to make sure their chores are done so we could go.  Are they doing their chores, even though we are supposed to be leaving in about an hour and a half?  No they are not :/  Now do not get me wrong, their chores do NOT take that long to do, but it is the last minute procrastination that gets to me and when 11 am rolls around, the chores will probably not be done.  Then I get to be the bad guy and say we are not leaving until they are done, which will then make them scramble to finish what they need.  It is the same thing every day.

I do not know about any one else, but chores in our home are just a part of being a family.  Over the years, we have tried to make their chores age appropriate.  For example, currently, they need to have their rooms picked up, all of their toys and what-nots not scattered around the house, no clothes on the floor of the bathroom, and in the evening Princess helps set the table, and Prince helps with the dishes.  Those are it for their daily chores.  In addition to their daily chores, we do have weekly chores.  Weekly chores for us is helping dust and vacuum a living space, Princess has to help pull weeds, and Prince is starting to learn how to use the lawn mower.  In all reality, I do not think that is asking too much, they aren't toddlers any more, and eventually will be living on their own and need to learn how to take care of themselves and their own home.  Maybe I am a "mean" mom and give them too much, but I do not think so.

While perusing Pintrest awhile back, a chore chart caught my eye.  It separates daily chores and weekly chores, and using a check mark box next to the name of the chore.  I fell in love with it for some reason.  I then promptly made my own with our version of chores (which by the way my children help decide what their chores are for the month).  On our chore chart, I added things like read for 30 minutes a day, brush your teeth, brush your hair, take your medicine at "x" time, things like that.  (I don't know about your kids, but mine would forget their head if it wasn't attached!)  Once the chart was printed, I took an old picture frame and painted it whatever the kids wanted for theirs, they each have their own chart.  In the end, the charts turned out wonderful!  Each child has a dry erase marker that they check off their boxes as they do that chore.  It actually looks great, I just wish they would do the chores in a more timely manner.  I guess that can be our next lesson we learn, NO PROCRASTINATING!