Okay, so work is the focus for us this summer, but it doesn't have to be torture. The more I think about it the more I realize that teaching your children about team work (and just work in general) eliminates trouble with so many issues - sharing, sportsmanship, friendliness, the list goes on.
Saturday we washed the car as a family. So fun and my kids worked so hard! They loved sudsing up their sponges and each having their own special spot to clean. And of course, they loved getting wet. We did it early in the day so it was also very refreshing!
Today we all worked in the garden. Oh my gosh, the ideas that came to my head with this one. My youngest 2 just wanted to play with the hose, which is like UGH. Right? So I set it to a trickle and they were in charge of filling the watering cans. Genius. It took them forever but they did not care at all. And they didn't get soaked. And as an added benefit, they didn't come over with their little sand shovels and dig up all my mulch. Lol. My older 2 wanted to fill things with water too, and I realized it could have easily turned into a lesson on volume and measurements. Maybe next time. But they were very helpful in cleaning up - the sweeping and cleaning of garden tools, etc. No complaints! And the reward was a walk/ride on scooters and in the wagon and a nice big lunch. :)
Who else has been hard at work this summer, and what are your ideas?
29 July 2008
2 fun with work ideas
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i just got my kids outside this morning to do some yardwork. i will admit that i have been on and off this summer about teaching them to work. i had the best of intentions for us to do chores every morning and it just hasn't happened. but this morning was cool and the yard beckoned. we went out with our paper bags and gardening gloves and collected tons of plums that had fallen onto the ground. we raked up the lost plums and leaves that were all around the tree and put them in bags.
i started them on the project and went to go tend the garden, but found that they were making little progress without me. instead of getting angry, i realized that my expectations might have been unrealistic, so i pitched in to help them. they did a marvelous job and had a great sense of satisfaction when we had finished. they couldn't wait to show daddy what they had done.
i really want to implement work like this on a more regular basis. the trick is fitting it in with everything else i'm trying to get done!:)
oh, and by the way, congratulations on winning the essay contest i sponsored. come on over to see. and send me an email with your address so that i can send you the prize! (sleepymumATgmailDOTcom)
You are amazing. What great ideas.
I don't have any little ones at home--I should try those ideas on me. I need to get some work done!!!!
Surprise, surprise. I just gave my two girls the assignment to wash their dad's larger vehicle today and my son to wash my car. They had far too much screen time yesterday and this is the cure to get them outside.
Last night when I asked for a reporting of daily jobs at 7:30 p.m. last night and at 8 p.m. my oldest daughter was scrubbing her bathroom.
I'm all for working togther to bring unity and productivity to our home! I just don't always want to be the boss who reminds that we need to complete the whole job.
I am teaching my 13 year step daughter to cook, she's getting good at it.
I hope that in the next couple of years both my stepchildren learn how to do chores and like the results. They do have a tough life and it would be great to see them become successful adults.
We have been spending our summer going to their friends houses and hanging out at the skate parks.
I love your idea about the trickle on the hose to fill watering cans - brilliant!
Also, gorgeous profile picture.
I realize A is in a totally different phase of life but I'm finding that the more I let her be a part of the things I am doing the happier we both are. Hopefully I will remember that when it becomes even harder to do.
It's always a little tricky trying to get kids to work. You've got some great ideas!
Andrew's taking off our roof tomorrow does that count? I'm giving the kids crowbars :)
Such great ideas! My kids love the hose and the shovels and I feel like I can never finish what I need to with all of the "help." I've been giving them shovels and pails to 'dig worms out of the sandbox.' They love it and Landon pretends he found a big worm and then I send him to another area to dig. Not very productive I guess for me in any way but he and Kate always play so good together when they are hunting for worms so it works.
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