A Little Too Much Mess!

All four kids are home, all day, no breaks, toys everywhere, dishes looming, garbages overflowing, wet towels laying around, screams coming from every direction, animals trying to get attention, and me....sitting at my computer with my hands over my ears, blogging about it.

Welcome to summertime at our house!

I do clean but have been informed by my husband that "I am NOT to clean their rooms" and that "They should be taught to pick up after themselves"

Enter dirty rooms and stuff everywhere.

(Just in case you thought this had suddenly become one of THOSE blogs, where moms rant about housework and kids; Keep Reading. I'm almost there....)

There is only one of me and four, count them, 1-2-3-4 of them! So what's a mother to do?

~I have read them Bible verses on "Doing things diligently and in order" ~

Those flew in one ear and out the other.

~I have tried just reminding them to pick up after themselves.~

That didn't work.

~I have attempted to follow them around and say, "Pick that up... now put it away" ~

That's never ending and not worth my time.

~And I have tried various rewards and punishments...~

Enter the

Super Duper Helper Chair

I don't know where I heard about this idea but it's a goodie!

My kids are each trying to out-do eachother with kindness to get to sit in the chair.

Object: To get the kids to not complain about helping around the house and to even help without being asked

I didn't want to spend even 30 minutes making a sign until I know if this will work.

So this is just a temporary one but it's working so far!

I chose the swivel chair from the office because twirly chairs are much cooler

than plain old diningroom chairs.

Each day at lunch and then at dinner, I annonce who gets to sit in the Super Duper Helper Chair based on their helping attitude throughout the day.

Pray this works! I may lose my marbles by the time they all go back to school in the Fall....