Titus 2 Tea - Household - Week One

 My baby turns five today.  Most days he's planning on being a farmer, but lately he's been talking about being a policeman.  I love how his mind works and all the funny things he says.  He's a joy!  In this picture, he's thinking of a trip to Grandma's house and boy, does that put a big smile on his face.  Love you, Tractorman!

Well this month we're talking about household.  And last month we tried something new in our house.  It has to do with dishes.

We do dishes by hand in our house.  Our kitchen doesn't really have room for a dishwasher and I always tell my kids I have five good ones - why do I need another?  Aww, mom!!! is the response I always get. 

Last month, I was finding dirty dishes every time I opened my cupboards.  I had decided some time back that with so many dishwashers in the house, I shouldn't have to do it every time.  So we set up a system. S-'s did supper dishes and J-'s did breakfast. 

Now if you know our family.  There is one more J than S since we have nine, but it happens to be the little guy up in the picture, so it wasn't an unfair advantage.  Actually it may have been because if there are dishes and water, he loves it! 

And besides finding dirty dishes, there was this attitude of... It's not my turn to clear the table,...I don't have to dry...etc.  I didn't like this idea of only serving when it's your meal or day or whatever.  And yet as Carpenter pointed out, our kitchen is too small to have everyone work in there at the same time. 

Excuse the mess, these pics were taken during a busy day of school, but nine people in this kitchen - I don't think so.  Three is plenty, and four is barely do-able.

So the circle chart entered.  We left the four-year old to be helper, but changed our minds.  It's easier to make a circle into eighths than sevenths.  I divided some chores up so there would be eight jobs.  Now everyone helps with each meal.  But I still hear, "That's not MY job."  So attitudes still must be worked on.

One way attitudes are helped is when there is much complaining after Mom says, "Yes, this is your job."  I will dismiss the one who wasn't complaining - usually we're talking the dryers here (there's two).  And the complainer is left with the rest of the dishes. 

And this one you can't see very well, but I decided to try doing house chores this way.  Around the time the last little one leaves, everyone does their house chore.  Clean up the living room, Clean up the nursery, Vacuum the living room, Vacuum the nursery, Straighten the couch covers, Swish and Swipe (quick-clean the bathroom), Mop (the kitchen), Clean the piano room.

I have one problem now that the kids are getting older, actually it's been a problem forever.  I feel that since I have so many kids, I should just have an equal share in the whole dishes or house chore-thing.  But does that really seem to be consistent with Proverbs 31?  I don't think so.

So I'm all-time washer and lunch I tend to do it all.  And of course, there are a bazillion things that need to be done besides the eight on the fridge, but I'm on each circle chart as well. 

This is just something that I'm trying that is working for us today.  Did you notice things change often around here?  That's because we're always growing and so we need to change-it-up so that we handle the current needs of our family.

Making the most of today,
Steph

Through Leviticus 27 and Psalm 14 and memory work through verse 16 in Romans chapter 1.