Thursday, January 18, 2018

2018 Family Motto

I know I already talked about my goals for 2018, but the last few days I've been toying with an idea. One of my 'life goals' was to clean more. I want our house to look good at almost all times. 

Here's my motto for 2018:


I feel like I am constantly struggling between 2 things:

If I'm cleaning = I'm not spending time with my kids
If I'm playing with the kids = The house gets too messy

I've been debating how to feel like I'm spending time with my kids and not letting the house get away from me. So I am re-vamping how our day is going to go and the responsibilities the kids have.

It doesn't need to be only my responsibility, and I can't let it wait until it's overwhelming!

1-Before the kids get screen time after school, their rooms and playroom must be picked up.
2-Before dinner, they will help me make sure the living room is picked up.
3-After dinner, everyone will help get the kitchen clean. NO DIRTY DISHES BEFORE BED!

These 3 things will help keep the kids' rooms, playroom, kitchen, and living room picked up every day. Then it's up to me to manage my own mess in my room and the laundry room, but if everything else is clean, I think I can do this!

So wish me luck! And let me know if you have any bits of wisdom. I could certainly use the help. {grin}


4 comments:

Kathryn Bagley said...

I don't know if you do any kind of reward system/star chart but sometimes (not all the time) that works with kids.

Natasha said...

We have gotten our kids to start doing more chores this past year and it's been really nice. Now there is just an expectation that they will help out around the house more and we are all less stressed about the state of the house. Sam will be 9 in March and Rachel is 6 1/2.

They wash dishes (nothing glass nor sharp knives), hang up laundry, tidy the playroom and their bedrooms, put away dishes, and help with small cooking chores -- peeling vegetables (Sam only), grating cheese, setting the table, gathering garbage and recycling, etc.

Dave has shoveled snow once this winter because the kids and I are doing it all -- we all have our own spots to keep clear -- and they helped out A LOT with weeding and other yard work in the summer.

Natasha said...

I should also add that, except for cleaning their rooms and the playroom, we are working together which makes it family time. I wouldn't expect them to be hanging out laundry or doing dishes while I'm doing something else.

Emily said...

Ahhh I love this so much I’m so many levels! First of all, I think you’ll love the results (after getting over the inevitable initial bumpy patch) and the kids learn more responsibility. I have found screen time to be a huge incentive. Aaron can’t have a morning tv show until his bed is made and he’s very good about it now (after months of reminding of course). I just started having Aaron put his laundry away (with supervision that he doesn’t just chuck it in the drawers) and it’s a constant reminder that kids are way more capable than we assume so (I mean look at Natasha’s kids!). After his afternoon quiet tome, he has to have his room picked up before he comes downstairs. If he does it all himself, he gets 5 M&Ms. If I have to help, then no M&Ms. We’ll see how that continues over time haha.