Checklist for my kids!!

Every feel like things are bordering on out of control?! Ever feel like you've got one kid coming in the back door, one kid running out the front door and one kid tugging on your sleeve for the 14th time in a row?? Ever feel like all you've done all day is trashed in minutes after they get home from school and you just push through the chaos until all the sudden it's bedtime and you are now cleaning up the messes they left behind? Oh no, never right?! Several weeks ago I made up chore charts for the kids. They also include personal maintenance items such as brush teeth, make bed, etc. They can have an allowance based on their chores. They each have 1 everyday chore and 1 as needed, and if they want to earn more money I have come up with a few extra chores they can do upon request. Such a great system I thought I had created. I put them in sheet protectors and hung them using painters tape on the back of their bedroom door, along with a white board marker. I was SO proud of myself!! BUT, it wasn't getting done. How stinking disappointing!!

SO, yesterday I decided that I wanted to do something that would hopefully make it easier on them AND me. I came up with 3 checklists for each of my boys. One for morning, one for after school and one that's done before bed. I wrote them on index cards. Today I will be getting them laminated, I will punch a hole in the corner and put a binder ring so each kid has his own set of 3 cards. The instructions are simple, they truly don't take long to do at all, BUT it makes a tremendous difference. By the time the kids got home from school yesterday I had already done the After School Checklists. They followed each step and it flowed so nicely. I had done a rough draft of the Before Bed and Morning lists. Last night before bed they each followed all the steps and again it went over really well. So last night I wrote out the good copies for each of them. This morning they came in and grabbed their checklists and again it flowed. WOW!! I think I'm going to like this!!

On Sunday evenings we will take a look at each of their chore charts and evaluate what's going well, and what chores were accomplished. I will pay them an allowance based on the chores they completed, and possibly a bonus for completing every single thing for the week! I can feel peace and order coming into my home!! Aaahhh..I will update you in a few weeks on how this is working out!!

One thing that I thought was very sweet this morning, was that my 8 year old was reading the list to his younger brother. He said, "Mommy I'm reading it to him so he knows what to do!" He beat me to it!! I loved his initiative and willingness to help out his younger brother!!

I don't claim to have all the answers, and maybe what works for me wouldn't work for you! So, if you have things set up in your home, routines that work, PLEASE share that with me!! I would love to hear your input!!

Have a fantastic day and GIT'R'DONE!!!