Home Blessings

Do you know the feeling of having a clean house all the time? When you walk into all of the bedrooms in the house and the beds are made and toys put away in the toy boxes. Dirty clothes in the laundry baskets, and dresser drawers closed. The feeling is wonderful.
What makes it so much more so is the fact that the children of the house has done all of these things before they left for school. The oldest still at home is 15 and the youngest is 6. How did this come to pass you may wonder. Well I have a system.
FlyLady has helped me with my daily cleaning but it seemed that I was still doing everything all by myself. So one day last month I decided that the children should also have their chores posted on the front door of the house. They can go to the door and read what they still need to do. I have it broken down into 3 different times of the day.
Before School
The children should have finished the following before leaving.
Get Dressed
Make bed
Fold pj’s and put under pillow for the night (they wear there bed clothes 2 nights in a row)
Brush hair
Brush teeth
After School
Do homework
Do their individual chores
Read
Before Bed
Pick up toys and put away
Lay out clothes for next day
Brush teeth
Braid hair ( for the girls)
Make sure book bag is ready

Since I have started this it is easier on everyone. They know that they have these things to do. Once they finish a chore they will color the square that is next to it. I will then give the kids a sticker for that “time” if all the things are done and colored in (This is for the younger kids for motivation).
This teaches the children that they are responsible for their own rooms. It also teaches them respect for other peoples things. When they have to clean their own rooms they are less apt to go into another’s room and “trash” it because they know how hard it is to keep their own clean. Responsibility is something we need to teach our children at a young age. If we do not then they will grow up thinking that they should have everything handed to them on a silver platter.
So now that I have more time to study the Word and pray I am growing much more closer to the Lord. And THAT is such a wonderful feeling!