Lately I’ve been feeling like I need to keep a slightly tighter reign on the day-to-day flow of our family.  We are settling into a new home and a new back-to-school routine, and I need a better balance between work and life.  I’ve always believed that kids thrive on a predictable routine, and it is up to me to establish daily and nightly rituals they can depend upon.

With all this in mind I decided now was a good time to introduce Evie and Mack to their own personal chore charts.  They are often eager to help out with small tasks around the house, and I want them to know that their contributions are important to the family. So, this afternoon I spent a few minutes creating simple charts for them.  Every day they’ll have two mandatory chores in addition to the other smaller favors I ask of them.

As soon as I posted the charts to the fridge, Evie and Mack were intrigued.  I calmly explained what the charts meant, how to read them and what I expected of Mack and Evie.  They seemed to get it, and their eager and adorable questions filled a solid 10 minutes of an otherwise quiet afternoon.

The best part? They actually did the work of the day.  Whenever I try to randomly recruit them to help tidy the toy room they look at me like I’m speaking Greek to them.  But, the charts gave them a fun visual cue.  I loved their enthusiasm!

Evie quickly unloaded the dishwasher (with a little help from me since she can’t reach the top cabinets!).

And Mack loved sweeping the balcony.

I’m optimistic that this small addition to our daily routine continues to motivate them.  Its not about a perfectly swept balcony or a crisply made bed; its about teaching them about the importance of responsibility to themselves, our family and our home.