Help around the house

It's no secret, I like my kids to help around the house. I think it develops character, plus if they never learn to wash the clothes or clean the toilets, when they move out of my house, who will do it for them? They're not bringing dirty laundry home from college with them! No way, no how!

So, we don't necessarily have a "chore chart" (I wish we did), but we do have things we expect from our kids. They clear off the table before we eat dinner. It's usually 95% of the time cluttered with their "crafty" creations. I love when they're creative, but the mess is almost more than I can handle!

They also have to clean their room before they go to bed for the night. Some times the room is cleaner than others, but most of the time they're pretty good about straightening it up.

They also help me clean the bathrooms. The are in charge of scrubbing the inside of the toilet. They think using the brush and getting rid of all the green or blue (whatever color comes out of the Lysol bottle).

But I do have one kid who is so darn cute (they're all cute really) when he tries to help. He's really the best at washing the dishes. He can't pull any dishes out, but boy is he a pro at getting inside the dishwasher.

Now we all know that a dishwasher door will hold approximately 22lbs! Just in case you were wondering. And no, the dishwasher is not dirty...just a little rust on the side. Remember we're moving out of this place in a couple more days...and a new dishwasher is in our future!!

Before and After...

This morning, I awoke to dishes covering every counter space I have (which is very limited), a bed that needed to either be made or the sheets cleaned, and laundry that had been waiting to be folded for over a week. 

I made myself a bet. The bet was, how much I could get done in one hour. I set the timer on the oven and decided I would not answer any texts or phone calls during that hour. I even told my kids to play by themselves, but I promise, I did attend to anything that was a serious matter.

This is what my house looked like:

 A bed that needed to be made/washed with clothes that needed to be put away!

 A kitchen that was NASTY! Dishes that needed to be washed, counters that needed to be cleaned, and dirty floors.

At about minute 56 of my 60 minute time frame, I got some laundry helpers....

 The big kids can actually put their clothes on hangers...my little man...all he does is throw clothes everywhere!

 Here is my house after about 70 minutes of cleaning...

 Looks like my table needs to be re-finished.

I decided to wash the sheets, there's nothing better in this world than clean sheets! 

So if you feel overwhelmed by the mess in your house, just remember that this Mormon Mommy cleaned her disaster in an hour! Giving yourself a time-frame really helps make you feel super productive. Because right now, I'm listening to laundry being washed and dried and the dishwasher going! It's a wonderful sound. 

Give it a try and let me know how it works for you!

Allergic

When Oswald and I got married, taking turns with chores was easy. We did all things together, except for one. The trash. Oswald’s job is the trash. Always has been, always will be.

But recently, Oswald has been working a whole bunch. Like wake up at 3:30am and not get home until 4:30pm (no he’s not a doctor). 

I cook the dinner, wash the dishes, clean the kitchen, and get the kids ready for bed because even when he’s home, a lot of the time he’s still working (which stinks).

So last night I had a mutual activity at the church and he had been home since 3:30pm and I thought for sure he would realize how stressed and worried I had been about this activity and do the dishes.

Well, I walk in and my Princess is coughing up a lung and sounds like a barking seal. I, of course, think its croup, but give her cough medicine anyway. That seemed to help, thank goodness!

Oswald has resumed his position watching American Idol. I sit on the couch next to him and we talk about my activity, which I’m proud to say went really well. Next thing I know, it’s 10pm and we’re headed to bed. 

I walk into our tiny kitchen and notice a sink full of dishes. I walk into our room and ask, “Do you have an allergy to washing the dishes?”

This is not the first time I have been gone for several hours in the evening only to return home to a messy kitchen. Most times I let it pass because I realize he’s been working all day long and only has a few minutes to relax before he heads back off to bed. But this time, I couldn’t let it go.

“What did you say?” He says as he’s lying all snuggly warm in our King Size bed. 

“I said, ‘Are you allergic to washing the dishes?’” 

“The dishes, ya, I’m allergic” and instantly started snoring.

Guess next time he needs some clean clothes for work, I’m going to be allergic to the laundry!

Updated: I told Oswald about this conversation, and he has washed the dishes several times in the last week. Guess my allergy to washing clothes was short lived!

Lesson Learned OR Meanest Mom Award?

My Princess and my Buddy changing their sheets

I am the kind of mom who makes her kids help around the house. They're expected to put their dirty dishes in the sink or dishwasher. They're expected to put their clothes in the laundry room. And they are expected to clean their toys up each night before they go to bed.

Not to much to ask, if you ask me. But one night, my two big kids just couldn't get their act together. They had been trying to clean for at least 30 minutes, so I told them, "You have until I clean this kitchen to put your toys away, or they're being thrown in the trash!"

Oswald gave me the stink eye, like "did you really just say that because now you have to follow through with your threat."

I began cleaning the kitchen. There were dishes everywhere and the dishwasher needed to be emptied before dirty ones could be added. My Buddy and Princess had plenty of time, plus I always give them a warning.

"This is my last dish." I called as I finished scrubbing the last pot. I went slowly, but they didn't seem to care.

I opened the cupboard door that holds the trash bags, "I'm getting a bag." I slammed the door closed and opened the plastic garbage bag as loudly as I could.

Still my kids did not clean up their toys, so I marched my mean self into their room and began putting toys in the bag.

Instantly, my Buddy's eyes filled up with tears. My Princess was beside herself as her new Barbie was put in the bag. Transformers were "thrown away" and so were stuffed animals. Oswald kept giving me looks like I was the meanest Mom he had ever seen, but I was tired of these kids not listening to me! 

I picked up so many toys I filled an entire garbage bag! The kids showered while crying and begged me to give them their toys back. By the time they had gotten out of the shower, I had discussed with them why their toys were in the garbage bag. I let them have them back and told them the next time they were gone for good!

So did I teach my kids a lesson or just win the Meanest Mom Award?

Princess to the Rescue...

It's chore time at our house. I have been washing 5 loads of laundry, scrubbing bathrooms, vacuuming floors, and sorting toys. I feel like Cinderella as her step-sisters, aka my children, are busing playing. But alas, the last thing on my list are the dishes overflowing in the kitchen sink.

But I need not fear, my Princess is here...she will pull her stool from the bathroom and gently place it on the kitchen floor. Climb up on it and plunge those plump little fingers into the warm soapy water. She'll swish those bubbles all over the place, not really cleaning anything. But, at the same time, feeling as though she's the biggest helper her mommy ever had!

For a few moments those bubbles are free. Free until they hit my floor
or her shirt
or the sides of the counter tops.

She's big into helping this 3 year-old of mine. And it's amazing how good of a job she can do, when I actually let her help me with the chores.

You see, she's a Mommy In Training and how will she ever perfect her skills if she's never given the opportunity?

How do you teach your kids to do their share of the work around the house? What are some of your tricks to make them think they're having fun while they're actually working!