In January I went to this Enrichment night...which led me to reading a book...which led me to attending a class on Teaching your Kids to Work using Jobs...which led me to start my kids doing jobs! That is the short version, my journal has the long version if anyone is interested...but sufficeth it to say that I have felt strongly impressed by the Spirit that this year I am to focus my energies on teaching my kids. One of the areas that I have been impressed to teach them is to WORK.
My kids are actually great workers already. Morgan has a God-given quality in her that I believe all women posess...a strong desire/concern to help others. I am so blessed to have a helpful oldest child because the Lord knew how badly I would need it. She helps me so much and her siblings.
Jake is also a great worker. He actually really enjoys it! I have seen this quality in him working along side his dad in the yard and in finishing our basement. Trev is a very hard worker and I think this is a trait Jake picked up from him. They both love working and especially love working together.
So when I started feeling the prompting that I needed to teach them how to work, it was more that I needed to encourage/develop in a structured way the traits they both already posess. I needed to encourage them to work and find the joy that lies therein.
So began our "Jobs" system. Each morning both M&J are in charge of getting up, getting themselves dressed, putting away their jammies, making their beds, and tidying their rooms. Once those things are completed we have breakfast and family scripture study before the kids head off to school. Morgan is also in charge of making her own lunch and she also helps with breakfast prep. She even has an alarm clock and wakes up on her own at 6:40 a.m.!
Once they are both home from school we have "Homework and Jobs." They each have to complete 2 jobs before they can go play.
Here are just some of the jobs they know how to do:
1. Load/Empty dishwasher
2. Dust
3. Household trash
4. Tidy rooms/backyard
5. Sanitize bathroom counters
6. Sort laundry/fold socks
7. Hang/Put away their own laundry
Then before dinner we have the kids do "Team Tidy" where they go around the house and tidy up.
We are still in the beginning stages of this process but Trev and I could not be more excited about it. The kids are helping, it gives us the joy of working alongside our kids, and most importantly, has given us a specific way to teach our kids to be independent, responsible, and find the joy found in working hard! And...the best part is that they enjoy it! I love it when you can see without a shadow of a doubt the Lord guiding you as parents of these sweet children of His.
So here are just a couple of pictures of Jake putting away the dishes. Notice how much fun he is having??!!! I'm not even be facetious...he really loves it!
A post about Jake would not be complete without this face...
And while Jake is putting away dishes...Abby and Claire play on the table. :) Not sure how that connects to jobs but they were being so cute I had to snap a few shots. :) There "jobs" are picking up toys and putting them back in the bins...that's all they are in charge of for now. :)
This is a little shot of the homework portion of the system...I LOVE that I don't have to worry about forgetting homework assignments anymore because they are already figured into our day. Most parents already do this, and now I am seeing why...it works. :)
At school, Morgan did a report on Pandas. She was seriously obsessed and wanted to read EVERYTHING possible about them for her report. She has an excellent memory so when she showed me her completed report I wasn't even suprised at how good it was. She is a great learner.
A word to the wise, given to me by the wise...encourage/make your kids work. There is so much joy and satisfaction to be found in seeing the fruits of your own hard work. Don't rob your children of that satisfaction.
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