It's Monday here at the Toadstool. I've been away at work for most of the weekend, and the house is in desperate need of a good ol' clean up! You know what being a mom is like...there are those chores that are simply not optional in the course of a week...the bathroom really needs to be cleaned, the floors need mopping, and well...a little bit of dusting simply never hurt anyone!! I found that my life was just getting so busy that it would be, (and I'm a bit ashamed to say), 4 weeks or so between moppings...I won't even admit how long it was between bathroom cleanings!! Anyhow, the point is, I needed a way to make sure that certain chores get done in this house...on a weekly basis.
I got the idea to make some chore sticks for us...with all of the "essential" chores on them that we would need to get done in a week.
Here are all of our weekly chores.
I had some "pretty" oversized wooden sticks upstairs in the craft supply cupboard...bought from a dollar store years ago, just waiting to be put to good use. As an alternative, you could just use those oversized wooden stir sticks and decorate them to your hearts delight. Ruby and I sat down and coloured our sticks with pencil crayons, and then I took a black pen and labelled them with our chores, (we talked as a family about what just HAD to get done in our house chore wise)! Our weekly to do list includes:
clean toilet, clean bathtub, dust, clean sinks, mirrors, clean porch, mop floors, vacuum rugs, change bedding.
Once or twice a week we each pick out a stick. Ruby gets one...daddy gets one, and so do I. If we're feeling really ambitious, we pick out two at a time.
I ALWAYS get the Mop Floors one...darn it!!
Then we get down to business...here's the family busy at work.
Looks like I'll at least get a break from cleaning the bathroom this week!!! Score one for Mommy!!
I've found that this is a great way to get all the family members involved in doing chores...nothing worse than that resentment you feel as a mother when it's YOU doing all the weekly chores, week after week.
I'd love to know how you get your family involved in doing chores...what works for you?
Signing off, one very clean...
Maureen xo
Hello,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment on my blog last week!
I just came over and have been reading through your projects, but this one, of course, strikes right at home! We are still struggling to find a way to keep our house enjoyable/semi-clean. This seems like a fun way to include the kids. Thanks!
Best,
Stacy
I agree. Great idea. Fun to make too.
ReplyDeleteLove this idea!! We have chore charts for the boys and I do what's left (like mom's do ;) but I think if the boys see me pull that chore stick out as well it might help them understand that I'm doing my share too. All too often it's easy to forget all that us moms do behind the scenes....
ReplyDeleteThanks for the fabulous idea!!
What a fun way to get into the groove of cleaning. Pretty and colorful.
ReplyDeleteThe look of trepidation on Ruby's face is priceless! Boringly, we simply have assigned chores on a rotating basis, but it works for us. Everyone knows what to expect and it minimizes disagreements in this household of many.
ReplyDeleteOh wow this is by far the coolest chore assignment I have ever seen! I have been slacking as well, my list of undone chores sounds a lot like yours. When you add all the crafting I have been doing on top of this the house is a disaster. My boys don't really help out at all, can't hurt to try. Thank you so much for the suggestion.
ReplyDeleteThis is great, and it seems at a perfect level to get my four year old involved - thanks for the idea!!!
ReplyDeleteMichelle
Superb idea Maureen, I am so going to do this! Thank you :)
ReplyDeleteBrilliant idea! Can't wait to try this one!!! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteExcellent idea ! I am definately passing this on to the many people I know that have trouble with making chore decisions.
ReplyDeletecheers
Once or twice a week we each pick out a stick. Ruby gets one...daddy gets one, and so do I. If we're feeling really ambitious, we pick out two at a time. red and black suit salwar , red kameez black salwar ,
ReplyDelete