responsibility

dont you love it when you have somebody else's kid over to your house - and they are obnoxious - and your spouse and you can talk about what great parents you are, i mean, compared to them? i mean, you are both like, our kids are so sweet and loving compared to so and so, our kids would never act that way... and on and on, as your heads swell like hot air balloons.

what i hate - is when somebody else's kids come over and might(gulp)be more responsible little beings than your kids. crap - right when you thought you were really on your game, some other rock star parent has to one up ya.

my children's new little friends totally did that to me. these kids are pretty much the love and logic text book perfect children. im sure they make a mistake here or there, but it certainly has not been here.

so - i hating to be behind the game, had to get serious. yes i do know that the most important thing is to love your children and turn them into loving adults. i feel pretty strongly that it involves learning how to function first in your home, second in society.


totally stealing my friend's system - we are starting lists for the day.

each day of the week they wake up to a new list of what needs to be done before bed.
i am still tweaking it - so this may change a little - but i think im (she) is on to something.

example (this was today's):

Thursday

~ clean your bathrooms. clean the mirror first, then counter, sink and finally toilet. empty trash if it needs it. put towels into the laundry.
~ clean your rooms. make your beds, organize toys, pick up any clothes and straighten any extra items.
~ do something loving for one of your siblings
~ help clean up the kitchen after every meal. put dishes in dishwasher, wipe down counters and table, rinse out sink.
~ pick up your toys when you are finished playing with them

each day, they change and you get different areas cleaned, including vaccumming!

this is not child labor, right? i will let you know how it sticks.