House

July 18, 2012

Here are a few pictures of just how we do a few things around the house.

These are Nathan and Mary's job charts.  I found a job chart maker online and then laminated them.  It's easy for me because then we just use dry erase markers and can swipe them clean and start over every week.

Here is what the job charts get for the kids.  Ever day if you have at least 3 checkmarks, you get a dollar for that day.  However, we don't pay them the dollar until Saturday after their Saturday morning jobs.  They then get all the dollars they earn for the week and get to go to the store!  We have been doing this for a few months now.  Here is the family store.

They can get one piece of candy or 1 dime for every dollar they earn.  The fake dollars I just keep with the store as you can see.  They pay tithing on the dime if they choose it.  I like this idea and wanted to figure out how to get the kids excited about doing jobs and have it be easier, hopefully, and I wanted to reward them, too.  I also wanted them to be able to choose to save money if they want to.  We have tried to help them start to understand what saving up for something means.  But they are kids and mostly choose the candy.  I don't care, I just like giving them the option. :)

Here are our ipad cards.  I had the kids make them.  We got an ipad a while ago and I was trying to figure out how to not have the kids ask me all day long to play games on it, or play too long on it.  I knew this could be an area where we might struggle, so I had the idea of making ipad cards!  The kids helped think of jobs to do and wrote them down.  So when they want to do the ipad, they get to pick a card and do the job on it.  I try to rotate the cards, so they don't pick the same job twice.  For every card, they get 10 minutes on the ipad.  At the beginning it was great!  The kids were asking for more jobs so they could have another turn.  Now, they still do jobs and still ask for extra jobs, though sometimes I just tell them a job that needs done instead of them picking a card.  It still works and sometimes I get a little help with a few messes!

 Here is Eli's room.  My mother made the quilt and my sister Laura made the pictures.  Eli is in the crib, sleeping as you can tell I'm sure. :)  I just moved the quilt there for the picture.  The quilt and pictures coordinate and they are both so cute from talented people.

I am always trying to think of how to simplify our lives and target areas that need help!  We have a lot to go still, but I have really loved the job charts/family store and the ipad cards!  They have both made a difference and also give the kids something to do.