“This is the best day ever!”

Prince Focused working on his beloved Checklist

…Said my middle child, my schedule-loving, focused and determined future-pocket-protector wearing 6 year old son. What was it that had him in such a tizzy?  Our newly implemented checklist system, of course!

I finally got a clue after years of trying to do all the household chores myself.  Hey, maybe if I actually assign some chores to these children, my workload could actually decrease.  While visiting my aunt in California I developed age-appropriate chore lists for each of my children.  For instance, the 3yr old is responsible for putting away toys after the evening bath and getting dressed.  The 9yr old is responsible for sweeping up under the dinner table after dinner, while the 6yr old is responsible for making sure the table is cleared and wiped down.

The more I developed this chore chart, the more I wondered how I would keep it all straight.  I saw a few ideas…some simple,  some way more complicated than they need to be. The best thing by far is the Checklist system.  For each child I made checklists, one for morning, one for after school/evening. This helps them keep track of what they need to do without me having to chase them down, cajole, and scream! Suddenly the house is neater, beds get made in the morning, and there are no food crumbs under the table!  I love it!

And so does Mr. Focused.  He is the rare exception of children who really, really, really, likes chores, but I am blessed that way.  I mean the boy wakes up and goes right to his chores just so he can check off his list.  He lives and lives by this chart! It’s really quite hilarious.  Children generally crave routine (or so I”m told anyway).  It gives them a sense of control over their otherwise uncontrollable little lives.  It doesn’t hurt either that their allowance is tied to how closely they follow their chore lists. All I know is, I am loving this new checklist system.  Oh, you can get yours here.