Another engineer’s wife and I were having a discussion about household chores yesterday. We were bemoaning the fact that if we want our husbands to do something for us, we either need to tell them right away, or it won’t happen at all. The engineer’s mind is a constant one-way track of processing information. It’s what makes them so brilliant and efficient: they zero in on a task, giving it their complete focus until it’s done. I’m almost always thinking about other things while I’m working on something, which is why it can take me longer to achieve something with … Continue reading →
We didn’t have a lot of chores growing up. Every Saturday we had to help clean the bathrooms, but that was about it. We helped a little here and there, but in the end, we didn’t do a whole lot to help around the house when we were kids. My mother tried, but after battling grumpy children for a couple years she finally gave up. In very little time, she had six spoiled teenagers who didn’t know how to cook or clean for themselves. I was the only one who had a consistent job through high school, and the others … Continue reading →
In my last blog I offered some tips when it comes to chores and children. The idea was to get you thinking about the ways you can make it easier for them and yourself. Now we are going to look at how to create a chore chart. But you might want to first decide if your children will receive an allowance for doing their chores. I have been on both sides. There were times over the years that I did pay an allowance. Then there was a time when they were expected to do certain chores as a contribution to … Continue reading →
As I near the end of January’s focus on cleaning, I want to address chores. It’s important that housework isn’t put on the shoulders of just one person. My thinking is if you live in this house and help make it dirty, then you need to help keep it clean. This should start at an early age. Before I get into the whole concept of chores and charts, there are some tips I would like to offer parents. The first is, don’t look at chores as something for older kids. The younger you start a habit with a child, the … Continue reading →
It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention. It is also true that mothers, in times of necessity, invent some pretty amazing things. Today I read about a time – management technique that Jessica Williams invented one day, when she was home with her three young children and had to finish writing an article that was due the next day. It is called the 10 – 10 technique, and it enabled her to remain connected with her children and finish her article all in the course of an hour. How did she do it? First, she set … Continue reading →
Parenting experts disagree vehemently on the issue of whether or not children should be paid for chores. Each side strongly believes that they are right, quoting studies and analysis that support their position. With such a polarized debate on the issue, what should parents think? How can they determine whether or not to pay their children for chores or to offer an allowance outright that requires no work conditions on the child’s part? Let us take a look at both sides of the issue. On the one hand, paying a child for chores rather than giving a free and clear … Continue reading →
I’d love a life makeover in 2013. Where do I sign-up for that? Actually, I’d settle for a personal chef, chauffeur and housekeeper, paid for by an anonymous donor. Then again, what busy parent wouldn’t treasure professional help to get through the chaos of everyday life? Unless some miracle takes place between now and the stroke of midnight I will likely be tackling the same chores I do every.single.day. throughout 2013. That’s the cold slap of reality. Fortunately, I’m not letting it get me down. Rather, I am planning to turn the corner in 2013 and help myself lighten the … Continue reading →
Fellow blogger Michele Cheplic recently blogged about “Slave Labor.” Or should I say, kids doing chores. I had to chuckle when I read that her 7 year old daughter’s response to making her bed was, “What am I a slave?” Chores are probably one of the least favorite things that any kid likes to do. And for some kids it only gets worse as they get older. Yes, my teens have tried to get out of doing chores but never could I imagine them doing what an 11-year-old German boy apparently did, by calling the police on his mother. As … Continue reading →
Who is mainly responsible for the housekeeping in your home? In several blogs, I have mentioned the importance of delegating housework. Anyone who lives in a home should play some part in keeping it clean and orderly. However this doesn’t necessarily mean that the delegation of housework will be even. You also have to figure in each person’s age, outside responsibilities and other important factors that may play into it. For instance when my children were young, I was a stay-at-home mom. Since I was in the home more hours a day than my husband, I pretty much took care … Continue reading →
We are wrapping up our chore lists with today’s final one, the annual chore list. Hopefully by now you have discovered that keeping your home in order is not as difficult as you thought, once you organize everything. Your housekeeping binder will be helpful for other things but I will touch on that in a bit. Let’s first consider some of the chores that can be done on an annual basis. Go through your house and look for minor repairs that should be done. This includes tightening screws on cabinets, drawers, doors and furniture. It could also include caulking around … Continue reading →
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