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Saturday, April 02, 2011

Comments

aimee stern

Good for you and a great post. I've also tried the chore chart and several versions that the parenting experts said to have. It never really worked, and I don't blame myself. They were just too small and it was too much for all of us to maintain and keep up.

But when we let our cleaning lady almost two year ago as an economizing measure, we all started cleaning. We each have assignments, we do them on the weekend they are supposed to get done, and that's it. Laundry gets done by the person who needs clean clothes. There was a lawn service too that we also got rid of. My teenage son gets away with less inside because he does the lawn and shovels snow. He does get a little money for that because his sister and I flatly refuse to help. Do we have a spotless house and a manicured lawn? No way. But I can live without perfection as long as we all chip in.

Katherine

What a wonderful story! It goes to show when you really need your kids to step up, they will. It may seem ironic that nothing worked until now, but I see it as evidence of your excellent parenting - the kids don't respond to manipulation but will take responsibility when you need them to.

Kyle

It's great to see children rise to the occasion! Makes such a difference being self-directed versus being asked.

In general, chores charts are definitely a pain. You spent more time maintaining them then actually benefitting from them.

Ed@vtechkidselectroniclearningproducts

I know what you mean about developing a sense of obligation when it comes to keeping things clean. I mean, you would expect it to be natural for people to want to keep their surroundings clean. However, with many kids, it doesn't seem to work that way.

You have to break them into it from early. It does not seem to come naturally to them. No one expects kids to have a burning desire to clean house but they should have a desire to be in a clean space and see the link between them having to do it and seeing the result.

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