Girls in Training

We've had a chore chart for the girls since I can remember. We're still working on the habit of finishing breakfast and doing your jobs with no reminders, and the older two do it...most of the time. Ceci still needs a little help. Starting next week one of Tennie's new jobs is to assist Ceci. Not to do her job for her, but help her read her jobs, and motivate her to do them. Tennie is a magician with coming up with exciting games while doing jobs. We'll see if it works.

Ceci helping to clean out the pool for the winter

Normally we charge our girls if they don't do their job. They have until a certain time, and if the job isn't done they are fined. This has caused a lot of grumbling over the years. Last week we went to a local taco shop for some happy hour tacos. Our waitress messed up on our order (after we had to wait for an unusual amount of time). A short time later I heard the waitress talking to a customer, who was her friend, telling her that she would have to pay for the wasted food. We took advantage of this awesome opportunity to talk to the girls about the waitress's actions and consequences. Major bummer that she wasn't focusing; that she forgot; that she messed up. We explained we are trying to teach them responsibility, attentiveness to detail, and initiative while they are young and the "fines" are low. They got it.

These first two weeks of December we switched things up with a Bonus Bonanza. Instead of fining them when they forget a job they have the opportunity to earn money if they remember all of their jobs. Actually, if they miss one they get half of the money, if they miss two they don't get any. Boy is there some excitement. Tennie told her sisters, "Help me remember because all of the money will go towards Christmas presents for you guys!"

A note Tennie put on the dashboard while on a field trip last week to help her remember
to do her job when she got home

One thing is for certain...it is a lot of work to teach kids to work! But I'm trusting that "by small and simple things great things shall come to pass."