I'm giving credit to the New Year for giving me the motivation to finally take my life back. Most days I feel like I'm running through Jello - I feel like I can never get anything totally done. When I'm straightening up one room, the girls are in another room making a mess. There's always something to do in the parenting/house maintenance department.
Well, for Family Home Evening last night, we came up with some family goals and made a chart. Seeing them written down helped us all realize what we need to focus on. And I'll tell ya - today ran soooo smooth! (And I didn't even use the "TV Babysitter" to help me get things done - in fact, one of our new things is that the girls get 3 coins each day, good for 1/2 hour of TV or computer game or Wii time). The girls were excited to check off each thing (some were just reminders of good habits; others were new goals; and yet others were optional "extra" things that could help them toward their weekly allowance). Makenna was willing to help me unload the dishwasher and Kiera was thrilled to be able to help put clean laundry away. I know in most families, this is a requirement - but for us it's pretty much been hit and miss. Hopefully things will keep going like this. I realize that I'm happiest when I feel like my life is in control. I have a hard time concentrating on other things until the "basics" are done. I know I'm rambling, but I just wanted to jot this down because I'm feeling oh, so good!!
(P.S. Another idea we came up with a few months ago...instead of repeatedly asking the girls to put their stuff away, anytime I come across something out of place that one of the girls (well, Kasidee is excluded for a couple more years!) has gotten out, I put it in a red plastic basket. That way, it's out of the way and it makes me feel better. Then at the end of the day, before bedtime, the girls can go through the basket and put things away. Whatever is left in the basket after they've gone to bed gets to be MINE!! - So far I haven't been able to keep any of their stuff!)
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3 comments:
I SO know how you feel. I go crazy when the house is not put together to some degree. That's what's been hard for me since Christmas... too many toys. So, we've done something similar to you. First, I've been telling Noah he has to clean up what he was playing with to move on to another "project". This works when it's something bigger, like blocks or trains. If he is unwilling to clean up his toys, Mommy takes them away (for up to a week). They're gone! Sorry bud, ya' better clean up next time. It's been working too. Yesterday he was all too willing to clean up when I told him to. Plus, it's been fabulous to reduce the amount of toys in circulation. I was really going crazy and feeling out of control. Good luck. I know it feels great to be "in control".
Good for you! I hope everything works. I did a "chore chart" recently for my girls and it mostly just hangs on the fridge waiting to be checked off. I do something similar about things that get left around - I just skip the "me picking it up and putting it in a basket" step - I told the girls that if I have to pick it up it becomes mine. So far they have too many toys to really notice - I had to take away a bunch of stuff they got for Christmas and they haven't even complained - what's up with that?
It's so nice when you find something that works! Keep it up!!
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