Friday, April 25, 2008

Check it out....

Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie posted today about teaching our children responsibility. She has some great links to some fantastic articles on how we are not to become our children's slaves and how we ought to be teaching them.

An excerpt from one of those links:

"Our children, on the other hand, live a very self-centred existence. From the moment they're born, our lives revolve around them, rather than the other way around. We take them to play dates, put them in kindergym and kindermusic, and then they go to school where they learn all about self-esteem.

As parents, we need to start getting back to the idea that children need responsibilities. Their lives should not revolve around entertainment. I think kids who do have responsibility and learn to care for the home actually end up less depressed and less rebellious because they are less self-focused. So our kids do a lot of chores. And we expect them to volunteer at church and with caring for younger kids. What about you? What do you think?"

Stew and I were just talking about how we seem to get little accomplished and one of the reasons may be that we are focusing too much on entertaining the children instead of teaching them responsibility along side of us. So, today I took some action steps toward switching our normal routine. I've had a chore chart made up for Emily for weeks now that I just haven't implemented yet and so I'm making Monday the day. This morning after breakfast I took out Emily's bible books and we had bible time together to start out the day.

This afternoon I had her wash the dishes with me for the first time.


We also did a 15 minute clean up together which she LOVED. She thought it was so much fun to run around the house and put away as much as we could before the timer went off. When I had to get lunch ready she sat down and worked on her letters and numbers. She wrote her name all by herself!
Then after lunch we played for a little bit and I found I was SO much more into it because I felt like the house was taken care of so I could devote all my thought to her. AND there was NO TV! Dare I say we may be on to a new schedule here! I used to feel really guilty when I chose to clean the house instead of play ALL morning with her because she would just lay on the floor or cling at my feet and beg for me to play with her. So sometimes I would just pop a video in to get some tasks done, but that left her feeling excluded and then we dealt with the whines for the rest of the day. I had no idea that if I just included her in every thing that I do that she would really enjoy it. I always felt like I'd be asking too much of her. I had tried a few little jobs here or there, but never included her in all my tasks. So, my new goal is to try and include her in all my tasks even if it's in the smallest way (or takes an extra 20 minutes like the dishes did this morning, lol). What a difference today has been!

5 comments:

Jules said...

LOVE this Amy; you gave me some great ideas! :o) Some things I have been doing but there are a few more I have been afraid to let Claire help with lest it take all day. So, tomorrow, we tackle folding laundry together (the big mountain on the couch)lol.

~Have a wonderful weekend!
Love,
Julie

Mary said...

Great ideas and super job on her name!!!! Go Emily!!

In Light of the Truth... said...

Great work! I can't wait to do this with Eli but he doesn't really seem old enough to do the things I'd like. At least he goes from room to room with me and entertains himself with whatever he finds. I'm sure I could do better though if I was more creative about it or gave him a chance. Actually, he DID help me sweep AND wipe the windows the other day! And I'll have to get back to him helping with the dishwasher. Much to think about... Thanks for this post!

Michelle said...

Too Cute. Connor loves to wash the dishes. If there is just one dish in the sink He's asking me if he can wash it. I totally agree. Con and I do a morning routine. He will even vacuum the floor. I have to go and do it later, but he really loves helping out. Especially using the battery swiffer sweeper. It's his favorite. That's awesome on her name. She is such a big girl, and she's a smart little cookie.:-)

Laura said...

That is just so awesome, it's amazing how excited I can get for someone I don't even know but I am! Sounds like a great day :)

Laura