I mentioned creating Standard Operating Procedures for your home (SOPs) in an earlier post. These are very commonly used in business, and the concept can transfer over to running your home. It helps you and everyone else know the routine and expectations in your home, which should help your house run smoother (most of the time, anyway!)
Learn to delegate
One major cause of stress for moms is that we TRY to do everything ourselves. We usually would like others to help us, but we hate to ask for it, and sometimes it is just easier to do it ourselves.
Setting up SOPs will take some time and effort and training your children and even your husband! However, if you are consistent, these procedures can help relieve some of your stress and pressures.
In the first post, we talked about having a morning routine. Part of this routine was the kids knowing what was expected and what they had to do each morning before school.
It also helps to have a routine after school, so they know what they have to do when they get home. While I believe kids need free time to be kids, I also believe in teaching kids to do their fair share around the house.
Chore charts for kids (and adults too!)
Kids are very visual and love charts and checklists. And if you have a diagram for them to look at, they don’t have to ask you what they need to be constantly doing, or more likely, you won’t have to find them and nag them with every little thing they need to do.
You need to find a chart and system that works best for your family, size, ages of children, whether you work outside the home, are married or are single. All these will impact how your children’s responsibilities should be assigned.
Below are some different options I have found. Check them out and see what might work for you!
First is a simple chart for younger kids. You can download these for free from her site. There is an evening one as well!
I love these magnetic ones!
You can find these at Abbie’s House Etsy shop. The boards are sold separately from the magnets, and the interests can also be customized.
Another option for the boards that would save you money is buying cheap metal cookie sheets and painting and decorating however you would like. Click for instructions for painting metal cookie sheets. I think you could even repurpose rusty pans if you use the right paint!
If you are a crafty DIYer, you can make these fabulous clipboards. Even if you aren’t running, I like her system, and you could always make it your level of creativity (my level is low and essential!)
If you aren’t crafty AT ALL, Amazon has a massive selection of chore charts. Some of my favorites are below:
The chore charts and systems above will work well with 1, 2, or 3 kids in the house. It becomes a little more challenging to juggle all the responsibilities in a more prominent family. Yet, you must do so to teach your kids to take responsibility for themselves and do their part as a team.
Many parents like to use reward systems as well, and again these vary widely from family to family. My fellow Atlanta blogger and friend, Kat Roberson from I Heart 7, has seven children, five living with her full-time. Managing a house that completely takes some work, and becoming the manager of the work and not the DOer of all the work is important.
Kat has put together a chore chart and system that teaches her kids how to take care of the house and that their attitude, behavior, and how they treat one another are essential. Click on the pic below to get all the details!
There are genuinely unlimited ways you can use to help your children learn to do their chores.
Which one is the best for you?
The one you will use!
Try out ones that appeal to you. Tweak them to your liking. If one doesn’t work, don’t give up! Try a different one. And I am sure that Kat will tell you that a system will need to change as your kids grow. What worked last year may need to be altered this year.
But it IS worth the effort. The outcome will be kids who are more responsible and do what they are expected to, which will lead to less stress!
