Chores & Children

 Chores + Children = DISASTER..... Well not always. This month for Gabby Moms I was asked to review Lorrie Flem's Chores: Many Hands Make Light Work Bundle. Basically, Lorrie shows how to incorporate our children into the whole equation of helping our "to do" list get smaller while at the same time teaching our little lambs responsibility.Here is the link to that bundle: http://www.eternalencouragement.com/theshop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=27&products_id=136
A few years ago my husband and I decided that our children needed to learn more about responsibility and we decided the perfect way to do that was to give them chores. And an added plus to this would be I would get some help around the house. So I sat down and from top to bottom of the totem pole of children I came up with a list of chores that would work with each child. They would all be age appropriate depending on that child. Here is an example of our children's "to-do" lists:

Ash (age 14) She is our oldest and she handles most of the burden. She is in charge of our youngest. So if I need an assistant she would be the closest thing to that. And she does help tell the other boys what to do. Their words not mine. But besides keeping her room clean,kitchen duties,cleans living room, and cleaning her bathroom. She is also in charge of our chickens. According to her this list should be shortened.

Hunt (age 9) He is in charge of his little brother that is just a few years younger than him. Which is really not that hard. So that is not so bad. But he also waters our dog,cleans the bedroom he shares with his younger brother,cleans their bathroom,takes out the trash and helps his Dad with yard work.

Thom (age 6) He is in charge of helping his older brother with cleaning their room,emptying the trash cans around the house,feeds the dog and when he isn't complaining about it helping his Dad and brother with the yard work.

Now on to the youngest, Josh (age 2) far be it for me to leave this stone or should I say pebble unturned. This little monkey wants to help to so being the best Mom ever I can't ignore that. So he helps too. As Lorrie pointed out in her Chores bundle 2 year olds are more than capable of helping. So some of the things she pointed out that her 2 year old does our little one also does. He takes folded laundry to whomever it belongs and he helps me pick up dirty laundry and deposit in the laundry room. And he helps Thom by emptying the small bathroom garbage cans into the bigger one in the kitchen.

So, Lorrie you will be proud this is something I believe in wholeheartedly and have been doing for a good long time with our children. I really believe that since our children are too young to hold down paying jobs that chores are an excellent way to teach them something that they will need in the future when they leave the nest. But also gives them a sense of responsibility. I don't know about you but I don't want lazy children. We tell our children that we are a family and we each have a job to do. So if you are wondering how on earth you are going to be able to do this don't worry. Lorrie Flem has got you covered. She is giving a way a copy of this bundle to one lucky person. All you have to do is go here to enter http://tinyurl.com/7oae6re. And she will pick a winner on June 1st and notify the winner. Sounds simply enough,right?
If you are wondering what all this hullabaloo is about you can check out Lorrie Flem on the Eternal Encouragement website http://www.eemagazine.com/.

The Chores Bundle was given to me for free for my honest review through the Gabby Moms program.