Big Girl Status: CHORES

When Munch was a baby, she LOVED to help clean... I'd be in the kitchen cooking or cleaning and, rather than have her get into cabinets and such, I'd hand her a damp cloth for her to help mommy. The simple task of wiping things down made for hours of baby entertainment.  I've used this technique with other people's kids too; it totally works! 

As she's gotten older, Munch enjoys helping with dishes, dusting, cleaning our glass door and even laundry (when I do it... because I do do it...sometimes).

However, all of the aforementioned chores are "enjoyed" on her terms... ONLY when the stars align and she's had a snack, lol.  Well, with her 6th birthday around the corner and first grade on the horizon, the Keese family is officially making big girl preparations! Last night, we conducted our first summer family meeting.  Topic?  Chores.  Big girls have those, ya know.

We defined chores as,

"Everybody doing their part to keep our home nice."

Look, if I have to deal with the kid getting older, I might as well reap the benefits of it, right?! 

Far too often, the kid has gone to bed, Hubbs is watching (or playing) a game and I'm still (in my work clothes) cleaning after I've run myself ragged preparing for the next day (cooking, bathing the kid, ironing clothes, packing lunches, etc.).  Something had to give so... Mama had a moment. The CHORE moment where I identified how Munch can help out and tossed a few dirty looks in Hubbs' direction too.

Munch's Chore List

- Make her bed

- Clear/clean the dining table

- Wipe her bathroom counters

- Be a Princess (not a queen - as there is but 1 in THIS house, not a jester, not a monster... just a princess)

Hubbs tried to add 1 minute of scratching his back to the list and I considered adding a foot rub but the memories of my dad coming home and removing his socks so I can massage his feet came rushing to my mind (bleh).  Needless to say, I thought better of it.

ANYHOO, I'm thinking of a cool way to track her completion of each task so when the school year starts we'll be ready.  Free chore printables are coming tomorrow and I'll figure out tracking and report back in the near future.

Dear, Islanders...  I leave you with a picture of my loves getting their scrub on after the big girl CHORE family meeting/moment:

The family that cleans together keeps mama from blacking out, lol.

Happy (is-it-ever-too-late-to-start?) SPRING cleaning!