Norah, the little cleaning fairy making beds and picking up.
The kids were excited to be home from vacation, but were bored by the lack of wild life, water spray parks, and open fields to run in. I determined that all we really needed was a little more structure in our daily routine to help them combat boredom and encourage responsibility.
Keeping in mind their ages, I put together a short "Chore List" for each of them for each day. We started off very easy, with:
Make the bed
Put away toys
Put dishes in sink
I thought that by starting simple and ensuring their success, it would generate enough excitement to maintain it and expand it. I explained that they would receive a sticker next to each chore as they completed it (they got to pick the sticker and put it on the paper). At the end of the day, if they had all their chores marked off, they would receive a lollipop. Both kids were very enthusiastic supporters of this plan, and Norah raced into her bedroom to start making her bed. Then she started putting away her toys, and then kept asking me for my dishes to put in the sink.
Justin just wandered from room to room saying he couldn't do any of it. That it was too hard and that I should be the one to do it. Norah took pity on him and offered to show him how to make his bed and helped pick up his toys. I was very impressed with her willingness to help him without any prompting. Perhaps she thought that both of them had to have everything done in order to receive their prize. I would like to think (and from her personality think this is more accurate) that she simply couldn't stand by and not help her little brother.
She strapped on her wings, slipped on her heels, grabbed her magic wand, and slipped her tiara down around her eyes (see Barbie and the Three Musketeers to explain that). Before we knew it, the beds were made, the toys picked up and after each meal the dishes were placed gently in the sink. Both Jeff and I are very impressed with their cooperation, and while we recognize that not every day will go this smoothly, we know that we are off to a good start teaching responsibility and unexpected lesson of compassion.
Keeping in mind their ages, I put together a short "Chore List" for each of them for each day. We started off very easy, with:
Make the bed
Put away toys
Put dishes in sink
I thought that by starting simple and ensuring their success, it would generate enough excitement to maintain it and expand it. I explained that they would receive a sticker next to each chore as they completed it (they got to pick the sticker and put it on the paper). At the end of the day, if they had all their chores marked off, they would receive a lollipop. Both kids were very enthusiastic supporters of this plan, and Norah raced into her bedroom to start making her bed. Then she started putting away her toys, and then kept asking me for my dishes to put in the sink.
Justin just wandered from room to room saying he couldn't do any of it. That it was too hard and that I should be the one to do it. Norah took pity on him and offered to show him how to make his bed and helped pick up his toys. I was very impressed with her willingness to help him without any prompting. Perhaps she thought that both of them had to have everything done in order to receive their prize. I would like to think (and from her personality think this is more accurate) that she simply couldn't stand by and not help her little brother.
She strapped on her wings, slipped on her heels, grabbed her magic wand, and slipped her tiara down around her eyes (see Barbie and the Three Musketeers to explain that). Before we knew it, the beds were made, the toys picked up and after each meal the dishes were placed gently in the sink. Both Jeff and I are very impressed with their cooperation, and while we recognize that not every day will go this smoothly, we know that we are off to a good start teaching responsibility and unexpected lesson of compassion.
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