Chores for kids

I'm looking for ideas on chores that may be appropriate for Drake. Right now he sets the table every day and is expected to clean up after himself (and sometimes Levi) and clear his dishes to the sink after supper. He is sometimes required to put his own laundry away and sometimes to make his bed, depending on whether or not I do the laundry while he's gone at school, and whether I remember in the morning to ask him to make the bed. So I know he is able to do these things. I often have him take out the recycling, as well. Oh yeah, and he knows how to fold the clean diapers and dustbust crumbs from under the kitchen table. I was talking to my friend, Cherie, the other day, and she suggested feeding/watering Heidi (the cat) and dusting some things downstairs, like the piano and bookshelf. There may be a few other things, too, but they are not currently coming to mind.

Anyway, I'm trying to plan my days a little better, and I know that planning more specifically which chores are expected of my children each day will foster a more cooperative spirit in the long run! What I am looking for right now is more ideas for appropriate kid chores. I know many of you have kids near the same age - I would love to hear some of your ideas!

Aren't they cute? (I thought this post needed a picture!)

Diaper model

I'm taking a break from housework...and yes, I totally realize that it's 10:55pm, but after kids and husband are in bed is really the ideal time for me to get stuff done when I have something to plow through. And tonight I do. It's a mountain of papers and miscellaneous stuff on the desk. It's definitely a "hot spot" at our house. (Ever heard of FlyLady? I'm a fan...but that's for another post, another day!)

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Anyway, like I said, I'm taking a break to post the ducky diaper modeling pictures that I promised. (I'm sure I'm the only one here enjoying this...the rest of you were hoping I'd forget!)

With some help from Daddy, Levi struts his stuff on the runway...

Thanks for humoring me. Now, wasn't that fun?!

A small mutiny

We're having company in a few days, so I've started thinking about preparing for that. And we're also having Drake's 6th birthday party here a week from tomorrow. So yesterday afternoon, I went into the playroom and sat down in the middle of the floor, sorting toys. Army men with the army men, Transformers with the Transformers, baby toys in the baby toy bins, and all the miscellaneous stuff....ummm....over here in these drawers. Now, admittedly I should have had Drake doing it, or at least helping me, but I just didn't feel like I could handle any more battles with him yesterday.

So I was in there sorting, and Drake came in, and asked in a horrified voice, "Mommy, what are you doing?"

"I'm cleaning up the playroom," I told him.

"No," he whined, "Don't do that! I like it this way!" pointing to the toy-scattered landscape.

"But isn't it easier to find things when it's all cleaned up?"

"No, it's easier to find them when I can see them all! I don't want you to clean it!"

I was surprised, to say the least. Unfortunately, I sort of expect that kind of reaction when he's the one doing the cleaning, but I was cleaning it myself! If he doesn't even like things picked up when someone else is willing to do it for him, how am I ever going to get him motivated to keep his stuff picked up on his own?

How I would love to have a maid!! But apparently my son would rather live in clutter. Neither of us actually enjoys picking stuff up, but at least I like it when things are organized! Perhaps that's an acquired trait?

I know I'm setting myself up for all kinds of derision and advice by posting something like this, but I am weary. I know that I am the parent - "the boss" - but after awhile I feel like there is a mutiny going on, and it's such a battle to deal with the same sinful attitude issues in my kids over and over again. Consistency is the key; I know this. And I need to not give in or back down (and not do things like clean something up myself that I should have Drake doing, only because I can do it 10 times faster and because I don't want to listen to his protests).

Often, Drake is a sweet, helpful kid who thinks of others before himself. And then there are times like now. I don't feel like we're doing anything different with him, but it saddens and disappoints me when he can't get along with his playmates, whines and complains about everything all day, says mean things to his brother, and the list goes on. I am apprehensive about him starting kindergarten in a couple of weeks, because I really don't want him to get off on the wrong foot with his teacher and classmates, but his whole disposition has been so "sour" lately. I know there is a kind, sweet, hard-working little boy in there somewhere. Where did he go?

But really, I see many of the same attitude problems that he is displaying reflected in my own heart, and I'm not too efficient at getting rid of them either. I complain a lot too, often inwardly, but that doesn't make it any better. I can be lazy too - I don't want to do things that seem overwhelming to me. So I understand it. I really do. But I think we find it even harder to deal with sin in others that we ourselves struggle with. Maybe because it seems more hopeless?

Yesterday I took the TV away indefinitely. You would think the entire world had ended. Then a little while ago, I told him I was about to take "play" away from him, too, if he could not be thankful for it and stop complaining. I guess I had better get to thinking of lots of chores he can do this afternoon. I pray that I will not have to take it quite that far...