Monday, July 27, 2009

Or I Could Just Throw Everything Away

I live with slobs. My husband is a slob therefore Lael has turned into one as well.

I makes it hard for me because I already despise cleaning but I do clean but I get NO HELP!

When my hubby calls himself helping he does a piss poor job.

Lael has so much shit Santa would need a list of things she DOES have to cross-reference.

This was the last time I was able to get her to voluntarily vacuum. It was nice while it lasted.

My husband is a lost cause. I gave up on him way back when we were dating and I went to retrieve my ahem....undergarments and found his whole life stuffed under his bed. (I thought his bachelor pad was unusually clean…and empty.)

I’ve tried many different methods to Lael in the cleaning mode. I tried the 15 minute race. I set the timer for 15 minutes and we clean as much as we can in that time frame. She caught on to me and says she doesn’t like that game.

I’ve bagged up her toys that she leaves laying around but her dad always gives them back.

She’s gotten better but I still know there is room for improvement. She will be 6 in October and will be starting the 1st grade in a few weeks.

I talked to her about putting up a chore chart for her and she seemed really excited. I kept forgetting to do it and SHE has actually been bugging me about it.

I found this site and I thought she would think it was swoon over the Sweetheart chart. I printed it out on some card stock (from work of course!)and now I am lost as to how to fill it out.

What chores are appropriate for her age? Should she get a reward? How often? Should she get an allowance at the end of the week?

I would love your opinion. What do you do to get your little people to pitch in around the house?

11 comments:

  1. Chloe is 6. She unloads the dishwasher, keeps her toys picked up, makes her bed, cleans counters, is in charge of the shoe basket by the front door (meaning, when it gets full she puts all the shoes in the right closets), vacuums, washes walls and so forth.

    Not that it is EASY to get her to do ANY of it, but those are things that I know that 6 year olds can do. I think they can do much more, in fact. Good luck with Lael, she's young yet and she'll get it eventually. That's our lot as mothers: to nag.

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  2. She will get it! :) Maybe sit down with her and ask her things that she thinks she can help with and then go from there. I'll just say she has no problem keeping things at my house clean~~what do I do?? Just ask her can I spank her??! :0) A proven method (hehehe)!!! HUGS!

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  3. Oh my goodness - you've seen my daughter's room in my post and just yesterday I threw 3 bags of her stuff away.

    I can't stand when crap is everywhere!

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  4. Does she need or play with many of the things/toys she has? Maybe give it away or as soon as you see she doesn't use it anymore stash it somewhere so you won't have so many things lying around. ;)

    It's good that you are trying to get her to help around at an early age. I don't have kids but I guess the best thing to do is keep doing what your doing be very patience and get her to help around with small things.

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  5. stopping by from SITS.
    i feel your pain....but my kids are older than that!!!!!!
    we tried giving money or gifts then it got to the point they only did something if the needed some cash...go figure!!!!! so i decided they have to leave their bedroom doors closed if they leave and that hopefully they will just learn by my example......i just got tired of nagging about it ALL the time!!!!!! not sure that is alot of help....but what do you do with kids!?!?!?!? if you come up with a great plan.....PLEASE let me know!!!!
    GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

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  6. My oldest daughter is 6 and she is responsible for: keeping her room clean, helping clean the toy room, she makes her bed, she sets the table. And yes--I pay them allowance.

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  7. My Hubby has literally gone thru the boys' rooms with a garbage bag, picking up everything in sight. One time he actually left it all by the curb for the trash to pick up! BTW, SITS sent me over...and I'm having a giveaway where EVERYBODY wins, so please come on by!

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  8. Oh man, I struggle with this, too! With two girls, we have just way too much crap. I hate it. Once a week I go around with a garbage bag when they aren't looking. (Like we need to keep every darn Happy Meal toy...not.) As for chores, my girls (8 and 5) are supposed to make their beds, feed the dog, clear their places at the table, and try to keep their rooms clear of floor clutter. Now I must emphasize the SUPPOSED to in that sentence.

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  9. My little person is too small to help at this point. I ride herd on my husband all the time. When we first got married he as all like "oh I don't want to make a mess in your place," and now he just leaves crap laying around producing comments from me such as, "I KNOOOOW YOU DIDN'T JUST LEAVE THAT FOR MEEEEE TO CLEAN UP." Sometimes effective, sometimes not.

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  10. She is still young and it is best to teach the kids when they are at this age to take proper care of thyself. She will come around good, allocate her responsibilities give her occasionally some special treats, do not make it a habit though.


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  11. I have tried the reward system and it never worked. For me I just tell her, this is what you are going to do and if I get annoying enough she will do it just to shut me up. I'm pretty sure you will never find this methodology in any books

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Those laughing with me...or at me.