The Things I Love Most

Tips To Enjoying Life With Your Family

How to Enjoy Your Summer – Summer Jobs

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You might think it’s funny that I am starting off my “How to Enjoy Your Summer” with Summer Jobs.  But seriously if your house is clean every morning, it makes for a better summer, and when the school year starts they will be used to doing them that they will keep doing them before they leave for school!! 
 
I have a lot of people tell me they just can’t get their kids to do jobs.  I felt the same way last summer.  LaLa was fine with doing them, but the two younger boys didn’t want to help at all.  They whined about it until I just did it and sent them away.  Last summer I decided that my sons who were 5 {now six} and 3 {now 4} really could learn to help out.  I personally think that kids should be doing a big chore a day all year long, but if you haven’t implemented that into your family, summer time is the best time to start.  I tried sticker charts, I tried having them do the same job all the time, I tried letting them pick the job they wanted to do that day, and finally I found what worked for us!  We also do our chores all at the same time so we are working together as a family to get the job done.
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Here it is.  It’s Super Simple.  I have 3 kids, their names go on the left, and then I have a chore per day of the week for them to get done right after breakfast and their bedroom is clean.  We started this at the end of last summer and really haven’t missed a day since then.  Sure my 6 year old will say,”Ah I don’t want to take the garbage out when he see’s how much is in it ever so often, but it is rare.  It took me about 2 weeks to teach them how to do a good job on these chores.  My 4 year old he’s not perfect at all of them.  He stinks at vacuuming (and that is why he only vacuums once a week)  I also bought him a really light weight cheep vacuum that he runs around the house, and also has a small attachment that can do the couch and he loves to do that and does a pretty good job. 
 
Here is how I have my kids do these jobs…

Garbages– Get the big kitchen garbage, go dump all the other trash cans throughout the house into that can, if it is full take it out, if it isn’t then put it back under the sink.  Replace any liners that need replacing.

Laundry– Start a load.  Take the load out of the dryer that I put in earlier that morning or the night before.  Sort it.  Fold your own clothes and towels, and rags.  Put those 3 things away.  Tell everyone who the winner is of the laundry (meaning who had the least amount in that load )  I know it’s silly, but my kids love it.  Then tell them to come get their laundry and fold it and put it away.  I fold the babies, mine, my husbands, and Jack Jack’s (he puts it away).  The oldest 2 fold their own. 

Vacuum– That ones is easy, but I did have to teach them to not skip places.

Bathroom– I only have LaLa-8 do this job.  My boys don’t really get it.  But she does a good job.  Gets several rags.  Knows what bottle of cleaner is for what. I do use homemade cleaner that is safe for my kids.  She loves to show the boys how cool it is to clean the toilets.  I plan on teaching my 6 year old this task this summer. 

Door Knobs and Light Switches– I give the kid in charge of this job either a sanitize wipe or a wet wipe and have him go wipe each door knob and light switch in the house. 

Now my kids don’t get off by just doing one chore for me.  Everyday they have to put their own laundry away, Clear their dishes, keep their rooms clean, beds made, and messes cleaned up.  My kids also help prepare meals with me when it is their cooking day.  They are also really good at helping me when asked.

My Jobs {yup even after all that child labor I still have jobs to do! }

  • I clean my bathroom Tuesdays and Thursdays, and my kids bathroom once or twice a week. I also do a quick wipe down with a sanitize wipe daily or every other day (I clean fast- 5 mins at max)  My husband does the tubs about 1-2x’s a month
  • I vacuum on Thursday’s
  • I sweep and wipe down my kitchen tile daily (mostly because my kitchen is tiny and I have a very messy baby.)
  • I do a good deep mop about once a week or every other week. 
  • I do one more load of laundry after my kids have done their load. 
  • I wipe down doors, walls and baseboards every 2-3 months.
  • Dishes – ALL DAY LONG.  Actually my husband is the dish man.  He is our loader and unloader.
  • I sweep the garage 1x a week (mostly because I like to!)

I really think it is so important to teach your kids the value of work and to instill it in them at a young age.  Last year I wrote this post about an awesome book I read that talked about what chores you could teach your kids at what age.  There is a really great list according to age of your child. Go check it out and get your summer started off right.  Before they turn on the TV, have them do their chores! You will be happy and so will they and your house will be clean.  It only takes about 10-20 minutes!!

Come back tomorrow where I will show you their Summer Task Cards.

Comments

  3. Tristan,
    Kendra homeschools too and she is an excellent manager of her home in my opinion. I have 6 children and homeschool them as well. My oldest is 10 and they do help a lot as well, because they are home and agree that they do make more messes. However, I possibly could be a better manager and helper to my kids in assisting them with their tasks. But, I think we all do the best that we can at teaching our kids and it sounds like you and Kendra are doing a fabulous job teaching your kids those important life skills.

  4. Thank you for sharing what you do in your family. It is helpful for others. I have three sons. The oldest is good about his chores, the second is okay, and the third (baby syndrome maybe, yikes) is “not good at work” he says. He is plenty old enough to do a better job of helping out so we will work on that this summer.

  5. Although my children are now gone; I did teach them to work. I tried a lot of different ways. Eventually, it became much like your list. I know parents that haven’t taught their children to work and I don’t understand that at all. All of my boys learned to cook and they still do so for their own families. My daughter in laws love me for that. They really are good cooks and their father is too.
    Loved reading this post!
    Hugs!!