Orders Up!!

One of the many cools things about schooling our kids at home is the sense of independence I see them developing.

Their lessons for the week are largely self guided and because of this, they have learned to be very self-motivated.

Since they are home with me they are responsible for things that other children, who go to a traditional school, may not have the time to do.

For example, they all do their own laundry. Even the boys, who have been doing their own laundry now for about two years. They do a great job and work together to get it done. They sometimes choose to put it off, but quickly learn that that is not a good idea when they are down to one pair of underwear each, and the washer is being used by someone else that day :)

Another household duty that they participate in, that's a little more fun, is cooking. All four of them have become quite self-sufficient when it comes to kitchen work.

A couple of weeks back I hurt my neck/back, and literally couldn't move off the couch. Faith planned to make bake potato soup for dinner and I asked Kylee and Seth to bake a loaf of bread. They made the dough by themselves, rolled it out, let it rise, and baked it. I am pretty sure I couldn't have made a loaf of bread when I was 10 or even 12 years old!

And at lunch one of Seth's favorite things to do it take everyone's order and make them their lunch. This is often very complicated and involves hot lunches. Okay, who am I kidding, it ALWAYS involves hot lunches, my kids will only eat cold sandwiches if there is no other option :)

So about 10 minutes before lunch he runs around the house taking down everyone's orders and then hangs the sheet of paper from the microwave as he gets out his griddle to prepare these culinary masterpieces. He often has a sou chef by his side to do the side work, and help with clean up. Their cooperation is amazing, when they are doing something they enjoy.

I think his lunch time chefery (I just made that word up!) is awesome. Not only does it teach him to cook, manage a task, and work with others, but it also shows his sweet servant heart.

Kristen

Age Old Problem

If you are a parent of children, who can talk, I am sure you can relate to what I am about to write.

Today, after we had finished up our school time I was having everyone do a quick tidy when I came into my little office space and found my new trash can filled. I got a bag and began dumping it when I noticed that there were pencil shavings in my trash can. Now, this may seem like a small thing to you but I can't tell you how much I despise pencil shavings. And when I bought my new little trash can for my office space I asked the kids individually to please not put their pencil shavings in my trash can, they can dump them in the big trash can in the kitchen.

So, I was a little annoyed that this had happened. It now needed to be cleaned out. I called the kids together and asked who had done it.

Nobody.

Of course. I could have told you that was who did it before they said it.

Do you ever just get so tired of this "nobody". I know it is nothing new. I remember being a kid. I remember reading the family circus cartoons and the ghost "nobody" did everything.

But I'd had it with nobody this time. I was pretty sure I knew who the culprit was but wanted him to admit it. So I told them they were all grounded until the person who did, admits to it.

I thought I was pretty sly here. I knew the one who I suspected wouldn't be able to stand for this and would come forward. Or so I thought.

The next thing I hear is Joshi's little voice say,"Mommy, I did it." (yeah I am about 99% positive it wasn't him)

Oh no.

As they all stood around staring at me waiting to see what I would do I told him he was now the only one grounded for the day. He would have to go to his room and sit there.

This sucks. I know he didn't do it. Someone talked him into taking the fall and now he is being punished. This went totally wrong.

He is sitting in his room upstairs, crying. All because I tried to beat nobody.

Now what? Is this "Nobody" unbeatable?

Kristen

Tonight is the Night

While the kids were gone in Arizona Mike and I had so much fun, but we also got a ton of stuff done around this house.

I totally re-did my school room(which now rocks!), cleaned out the laundry room, put ceiling fans in all the bedrooms and bought paint for my bathroom.

Notice I said bought paint for my bathroom.

It is the only room I have not painted in this house. I am kind of a nut about paint. It is a cheap, easy and a fun way to change a room. Also makes kids fingerprints not so noticeable.

Anyway, I held out on painting my bathroom because I wasn't sure what I wanted.

But then, I came up with this idea. Try to picture it, with bright pink paint I want to paint about a foot border up at the top of the wall and then paint the rest of the wall a dark brown, above and below the pink. I think I saw it on a chocolate box.

The other exciting thing about this paint project is that I was blessed when I bought the paint! I had a Lowes gift card I had received a while ago and had not yet used so I knew I was going to be getting paint free of charge. Then on top of that, the weekend I bought it Lowes was having one of those five dollar rebates, so on top of the fun gift card I was also excited about the good deal I was going to get. I told the guy I needed the small can of pink and a gallon of brown, but when I came back he had made two gallons of paint. I felt bad but told him that he had messed up and he said he sure did and I could have the gallon of pink for five dollars because it was now an OOPS paint! Very excited about that!

So although I was excited about my idea,I think I got intimidated by my plan for painting. That's the only answer I can come up with for why I have not painted my bathroom yet. That is really not like me at all!!! Usually, once I begin a project it is completed soon after. I don't do well with half done stuff. And the paint in the garage is mocking me.

So this is it. I am doing an inventory of my paint supplies and I am starting this project tonight when Mike gets home. I need his help because for it to work right we are going to have to be painting pink and brown simultaneously, and I don't know if I can do that alone :)

I will post pictures of my development.

Kristen

Running a Smooth Ship

I was asked recently about how we manage chores and allowance in our family. I thought I would share what we have used for years.

Mike and I decided when the kids were very little that we needed to train them while they were still young to help out. We decided on a list of chores, and assigned an amount to each chore. I don't assign anyone particular chores, they are fair game to anyone who wants to do them. And the kids are motivated because they know how much money they are earning each time they do a specific chore. Some are worth more than others and some are worth less just simply because they can be done at least once a day. They will get paid for that chore every time they do it even if they do it twice a day. ( Taking out the garbage would be an example of that.)

I saw on an Oprah show many, many years ago where a finance guy, I can't even remember who he was, was talking about teaching your kids financial responsibility and he said you should definitely give your kids money for doing chores, but that they should put some away for savings each time. He suggested breaking their allowance into several groups. I got the idea of breaking their allowances up into fours groups for them. So this is how we do it.

1/4 of their allowance goes to God.
1/4 of their allowance goes to Savings. (they have bank accounts)
1/4 of their allowance goes to family tax. ( we use this money to do something fun as a family, like go to the movies or bowling)
1/4 of their allowance goes to themselves. It is their money to do what they wish. I put no parameters on it. If they choose to save it for something they may, or if they choose to spend it on candy and gum, they may. It is totally theirs to do with as they please. So the money that Kylee and Faith saved up came from the 1/4 of the money they get to keep. (Faith also earned money for babysitting.)

I am a firm believer that the only reason our house runs as smoothly as it does, and I don't feel like pulling out all my hair and running away from home each evening, is because of our chore system. Our kids are responsible for everything from doing all their own laundry (washing, folding and putting away) to picking up dog poop. Any chore that can be done is worth something and if it isn't on the list I can find a place for it and they will be paid for it. There is one exception, and that is the cleaning of their rooms. That is their own space and they are expected to maintain that. So they are not paid for cleaning their rooms.

The last thing I have to say about chores is that we work together everyday to keep things in order but we take about 1-2 hours every Thursday to really clean the house. All the kids know that is the time it is going to happen and they do great banning together.

As a matter of fact, a few weeks ago on a Thursday, while we were still doing our regular school work we had just about finished up with their school work and I got a call. I went up stairs and by the time I was off the phone I came down stairs and they had all finished their school assignments and had picked chores off the list to start our Thursday cleaning. They had done it all on their own!!

Hope this helps someone. I know I couldn't live with out it!

Kristen

Product Plug

I have been meaning to give this product a plug for a while.

A few months back I saw this at the store and although it was a little pricey it promised that I wouldn't have to scrub the toilet for three months!!!

Wow!! Three months of no toilet scrubbing.... Sounds too good to be true. So I set out to prove it wrong.

But, I didn't prove it wrong!!! It really works! And once you buy the first apparatus the refills are reasonably priced.

My only complaint is that it does have a chemically smell to it.

To be honest I don't really know what is in it and I am sure it isn't any kind of all natural, healthy, good-for-the-environment cleaner but it does keep the toilet clean without me scrubbing it.

And just as a side note I am not sure I will ever switch to all natural, good-for-the-environment cleaners.

I kind of like the smell of bleach.

Sorry

Kristen