Having a tough Mom day… week… month???  My new year’s resolution this year, is to get my household back in order.  I don’t know about you, but I have been a little slack these days on following through with my kids and it is starting to become very apparent.  I have somehow gone from mom to nag to police officer and I am worn out!  My husband saw on facebook a clever little poem/chore list where a mom had taped it to a bucket, basically indicating she had picked up her kid’s stuff, placed it in the bucket, and they now had to pick a chore to earn it back.  My husband and I thought this was genius, and he asked me to create this for our household.  I found the original writeup about the chore list on Just Another Day in Paradise, and wanted to share with you today.  Bravo Larissa, BRAVO!!!

This lady is my hero!  I designed my own version of this chore list – because it’s not just me who nags at the kids to pick up, and am passing along to all of you in case you need some reinforcements in your home as well.

You can download the free printable chore list here:  andersruff- FREE PRINTABLE -chore-list
{includes: printable  poem, chore pocket, chore sample tags, and blank ones for you to create}

 

DIRECTIONS:

– Print on 8.5×11 cardstock, photo paper or paper of your choice
– Trim with scissors or a paper trimmer
– Tape or glue “Parent note” to container
– Tape or glue “Pick a chore note” to container (tape/glue on three sides to create a pocket)
– Place chores in the pocket for child to choose

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As soon as I had completed my little project I set it out for the girls to see.  They read the message immediately and began to ask questions.  I told them the Chore List was a pretty simple concept.  You leave something out, mom or dad collect it, we put it in the container and they earn it back by doing a chore.  I took it even further – if they leave a mess of dirty dishes/don’t clean up an area, I would leave their name on the mess (which they would still have to clean up), along with an assigned chore of my choice.  Grayce, my 8 year old said, “Like leaving a parking ticket?”  I said, “Exactly”!!!  {I told you I have become a police officer}.  I even let them know that if they argue, talk back, or do any other unwanted behavior I would assign them a chore without further notice.  I read them a few chore samples and Brynne, my 11 year old said, “These chores SUCK”.  {I put some pretty bad ones in there}.

Let me tell you…. my house is SPOTLESS as I sit here and type!!!   No-one complained about rinsing off their dishes and loading into the dishwasher tonight, they stopped arguing as soon as I mentioned they were doing it, and Grayce (who is notorious for leaving shoes, backpacks, toys, crafts EVERYWHERE) picked up every last item before she went to bed.  Now, granted this is day 1…. but it is possible that I might, just might, get my house back and eliminate the unwanted role in policing my kids.

A HUGE THANK YOU to Larissa over at Just Another Day in Paradise for creating ways to help us Moms {and Dads} in times of need.