Life skills and lessons

My sister referred me to another blog where she got a cute idea. I jumped at the idea since I am always looking for ways to 1) help my kids learn their responsibility at home, and 2) looking for ways to improve my kids behavior. It’s my hope and goal throughout this challenge to help my kids realize that we are a team and it takes each of us to contribute to a household. As my kids are growing up, I want them to know that we live in a society in which we all have to take part for making our home successful. I am grateful for a husband that realizes that I work outside the house as well and shows my children by example that he is willing to take on some responsibilities to keep our house afloat.

I got the idea from a blogger named Jill. Jill had attended a wedding shower where the bride-to-be was clueless in the kitchen. She told stories of microwaving aluminum take-out containers and burning pop tarts. She was given baking racks for a shower gift and did not know what they were used for. Jill felt strongly that she “needed to vow and step-up the ways and the things she’s teaching her kids”, so she found this idea from another blogger and was motivated to start it with her own family. I also felt like it was time to kick-it-up a notch with my family so we decided to take it on as a challenge.


It’s time to start…We have stepped-it-up with the chores we do in our home. Savannah is definitely able to take on added responsibility and Payton will learn over time. I have been amazed at how motivated the kids have been with a little incentive.

Time to get this house under control… Savannah has her regular responsibilities, like cleaning up her toys and her room. The idea was to write some new jobs on Popsicle sticks, place them in a bag and have the kids each randomly draw one each day. I believe that these should be age appropriate for your kids and the responsibilities you want your kids to learn.

Chores…Savannah did her first load of laundry; she learned how to sort colors from whites, the water temperature to wash the clothes in, how much soap to load, as well as how to properly fold the clothes.


Savannah learning to do laundry.

Payton dusting (his head). He gets most marbles for his behavior.

Here’s the incentive… The kids get a clear marble for each day’s job and a green marble for playing nicely with each other. Savannah is also one that wants to go the extra mile, so I have told her that if she does an extra good job with her chore then she can earn an extra marble. They also get 3 marbles (or this lady used a bottle cap) if anyone compliments them to me (i.e. friends, parents, teachers etc.) This is important to me since I want my kids to know the importance of being nice in and outside the home.

Savannah decided to save for a couple weeks to earn the crocodile webkinz.

Payton has earned some cars, bugs and candy

Redemption time… Sunday Night is pay out time. I put together a basket with everything from candy, toys, books, and even coupons for dates out with Dad or Mom to get ice cream. Each item in the basket has a price attached to it. Some of the items in the basket could take several weeks to purchase, so there might be weeks that they don’t pick anything if they want to save up. It also motivates them to work harder if they know what they are working towards. I liked the idea of the basket since I can always find good deals on items, and hopefully a night out for ice cream with Chad or myself will be fun for the kids. Chad and I have noticed a huge difference is Savannah's behavior over the past two weeks.

The kids can also lose marbles by bad behavior or if they choose not to do their jobs. So far it’s worked out to be a great system for us.

I really believe it’s just about finding whatever works with your family. Every kid is so different. (Thanks for referring this great idea jenn and jill for blogging about it.)