I thought I'd talk again a bit about chores. We are loving the Mommy Store, I think over time the point I am trying to make with it, will come, or not!! I have a few A's who are catching on that even on a REALLY REALLY Good week, they are having a hard time earning more than $3-$4 Mommy Dollars. They are also catching on that Mommies Store is a bit pricey, when you consider the items and the hourly income around here. I think it is becoming a success. A few things that I have changed/added/or in some cases re-evaluated.
~1 we are currently doing our Chore Points, right after breakfast and just before animal duty time. So each morning, just after breakfast and during our tidy up time, I stand next to our white board...usually starting with A1 and working my way down, I ask about chores, and discuss it. We do the points for yesterday, then..along with that day's Morning Chores. I am filling in to days slots, but it seems to work better this way.
2~ the points didn't work very well for my littlest A's. I found some pretty jars and put A5 & A6's names on them {simply with cute letter stickers} I also found some fuzzies {pom-poms with sparkles} Each morning I discuss the younger A's attitudes, if they helped with chores, and if they did what was needed. I also give each of them a fuzzy if they are quiet during our morning school time, and if I feel that a positive reinforcement is needed right then. If say, A5 usually always cries or complains when asked to do a specific chore, and at this one time she doesn't I will reward her. Sometimes with a bean sometimes with a fuzzy.
3~ hence the name of the post....re-evaluating our chore system. The A's have spoken!!! We have decided to change our rotation, so each A will be in charge of a main area, "HOT SPOT" each day, they will do the same chore, same area. Yes I believe the drudgery of chores is just as important as doing the chores. See if I had a choice, I'd never choose to fold the laundry, or wash the dishes, and I'd never clean my bathroom. I will be making each A a list of the area, along with what I expect, the things they need to look at each day. Almost a checklist to follow. Then they will still rotate certain chores. Things like Dust, Outside Duty, weekly chores {this is a fancy name for things I notice that need to be cleaned, mostly dirty finger prints everywhere}
The reason I always hated that idea, was/is that I want the A's to know how to clean everywhere and anything. Though it is super nice that they will learn what to do in one area, and do a really good job at it. Then every year or so we will switch chores around. I think it will still work out nicely.
~1 we are currently doing our Chore Points, right after breakfast and just before animal duty time. So each morning, just after breakfast and during our tidy up time, I stand next to our white board...usually starting with A1 and working my way down, I ask about chores, and discuss it. We do the points for yesterday, then..along with that day's Morning Chores. I am filling in to days slots, but it seems to work better this way.
2~ the points didn't work very well for my littlest A's. I found some pretty jars and put A5 & A6's names on them {simply with cute letter stickers} I also found some fuzzies {pom-poms with sparkles} Each morning I discuss the younger A's attitudes, if they helped with chores, and if they did what was needed. I also give each of them a fuzzy if they are quiet during our morning school time, and if I feel that a positive reinforcement is needed right then. If say, A5 usually always cries or complains when asked to do a specific chore, and at this one time she doesn't I will reward her. Sometimes with a bean sometimes with a fuzzy.
3~ hence the name of the post....re-evaluating our chore system. The A's have spoken!!! We have decided to change our rotation, so each A will be in charge of a main area, "HOT SPOT" each day, they will do the same chore, same area. Yes I believe the drudgery of chores is just as important as doing the chores. See if I had a choice, I'd never choose to fold the laundry, or wash the dishes, and I'd never clean my bathroom. I will be making each A a list of the area, along with what I expect, the things they need to look at each day. Almost a checklist to follow. Then they will still rotate certain chores. Things like Dust, Outside Duty, weekly chores {this is a fancy name for things I notice that need to be cleaned, mostly dirty finger prints everywhere}
The reason I always hated that idea, was/is that I want the A's to know how to clean everywhere and anything. Though it is super nice that they will learn what to do in one area, and do a really good job at it. Then every year or so we will switch chores around. I think it will still work out nicely.
Thanks for sharing this. Chores are always a hard area to tackle. A friend gave me a great suggestion to post a picture of what the finished task looks like. I haven't tried it with mine, yet, but she swears by it.
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