Lately I've been extra aware of how sweet and precious my current phase of life is. I don't know if it's because Joey is heading to kindergarten in a few short months or because we're about 98% sure Ellie is our last baby, but I've been so blessed recently to be able to simply relish this sweet stage of life. Being able to enjoy it is certainly a gift because, just like this article talks about, there are many times in parenting where I'm more inclined to rip out my hair rather than savor the moment. In fact, in those lovely times when all three of our kids are losing it simultaneously, Andy and I look at each other and jokingly say, "ENJOY THIS! SAVOR EVERY MOMENT!!!"

But somehow, over the last couple of weeks it's really hit me that this precious time with my little ones does go by so quickly, and I don't want to take it for granted. I know that sadly, to some degree this feeling will pass (just yesterday I wanted to throw a kid or two out the window!), so I wanted to document it here and now...life is good and we are blessed beyond measure!

I always say that if my parents were to write a parenting book it would have two chapters: "Give Your Kids Lots of Chores" and "Put Your Kids to Bed Early." Andy's parents probably would have written the same book, and Andy and I have always heartily subscribed to these parenting tenets.

I thought I was doing a pretty good job at giving the kids chores, but then I read this awesome book called, "Parenting By the Book." In it the author, John Rosemond, talks about how kids in the 1950's were expected to do a lot more around the house. He said that his mom taught him to mop the floor when he was three. Here I was patting myself on the back for the handful of chores I was giving my kids and my three year old can't even mop the floor. Darn! ;-)

The book did make me realize though that I could be having the kids do a lot more around the house so I upped the chores around here. Let me tell you, it's been amazing! Of course it's been really helpful having them do some of the work around the house, but it's truly incredible what it's done for their attitudes. When the kids are acting a little sassy, rude, entitled, or they are just bickering, I start doling out more chores. It's almost magical how their attitudes improve. Even when the chores are not punishment, but rather just being a part of the family, their attitudes are so much better in general.

At first I was having a little trouble thinking up chores they would be able to do well enough that it would actually be helpful. But after getting ideas from friends and reading online, I typed up this list of chores. This helps when one or both kids needs a little attitude adjustment and I need to think of a chore quickly. Some of these chores the kids do often and some hardly ever so don't worry, this is not a list of their daily chores! :-)

Put clothes from washer into dryer

Put clothes from dryer into laundry basket

Fold/put away (cloth) diapers

Right side out clean socks

Match clean socks

Fold underwear

Put away their own clean clothes

Set the table

Clear the table

Unload the silverware from the dishwasher

Unload the tupperware from the dishwasher

Rinse dishes

Load the dishwasher

Dust

Dustbuster crumbs

Straighten downstairs

Clean baseboards, light switches, door knobs, outlet covers

Windex back door, dishwasher, oven door, refrigerator door

Organize books and videos downstairs

Organize Hannah's kitchen

Take out recycling to the outside bin

Take recycling bin out front/bring it back to the backyard

Make bed

Clean room

Unload groceries from the car

Entertain Ellie

Organize Legos

Water outdoor potted plants

Empty bathroom trash cans

For other ideas, here are three great posts:
10 Chore Ideas for Toddlers
15 Chore Ideas for 4-Year-Olds
20 Chore Ideas for 7-Year-Olds

 Hannah putting the clothes from the washer to the dryer.

 

Joey rinsing the dishes, and Hannah loading the dishwasher. They alternate these two jobs every night.

Again, I can't tell you what a difference this has made in our house! Joey, especially, is like a new kid. He is much less likely to be testy and rude, and I don't think it's a coincidence that this happened right after I started giving them more chores. I also think that having Joey and Hannah help out so much around the house is what has made this transition to three kids the easiest transition yet.


There are so many funny stories about the kids doing chores, like when they do a chore together and chant, "Teamwork! Teamwork!" Or when I give Hannah a chore and she says, "I love that chore!" or "That chore is my favorite!" Less endearing, but still quite amusing now was the time she flat out refused to fold the diapers and ended up standing in front of the stack for over an hour out of stubbornness until she finally capitulated.

The other day in the bathtub Joey and I were talking about how Ellie is getting so big. He said, "Pretty soon we are going to have three big kids around here. Then you can just sit on the couch and we can do all the chores." The best part is he said it so cheerfully, like it was a great plan. Sounds good to me!!

And that mark on Hannah's arm? Still that tattoo from before Easter!

Monday was Andy's birthday. And how does a 33-year-old celebrate the big day? With a trip to Chuck E. Cheese's! Coolest. Dad. Ever. Boy, the kids are going to be disappointed when I pick Panera for my birthday dinner.

Joey had been to Chuck E. Cheese's before, but this was Hannah's first experience. We ordered our pizza and then wandered around looking at all the games and rides while waiting for our food to come. Hannah was beside herself just looking at the games and sitting on the idle rides, so you can imagine her excitement when she learned about tokens.

Hannah spent most of the night wide-eyed, taking in all the new sights.

 The kids loved standing in front of this blue screen and seeing themselves on TV.

Hannah wasn't too adventurous in riding the rides, but she found two she liked and she pretty much used all her tokens to ride them over and over. This is one where you pedal a gear with your hands and it moves the Chuck E. Cheese on his bicycle above you.

 This was the other ride Hannah loved. She calls the mouse Chuck E. Cheeser and she kept kissing him. Gross, but super adorable.

 Joey, on the other hand, would have gone on every ride if he could have.

 The play place was a big hit with both of the kids as well.

 After drooling all over my shoulder, Ellie got quite cozy in the Bjorn and had a nice little catnap.

When we got home, the kids gave Andy a present--a tie that they had picked out. There was a lot of enthusiastic cheering when the tie was revealed, which cracked Andy up.

Happy birthday, Sweets!

When Hannah sneezes, she says that she "bless-a-you'd."


While oohing and aahing over Ellie...
Hannah: Ellie just loves me sooo much.

Hannah: Hi Mom! You're so cute!

Hannah: You know what I always say?
Me: No, what?
Hannah: I always say, "I feel like a new woman!"
(For the record, I've never heard her say that before.)

Joey: I really like the name Eleanor. I want to name my baby that. My wife is going to really like that name. Do you know where my wife is right now? She's on vacation. Do you know what that means? It means I haven't met her yet. She's not with me. But God knows who I'm going to pick.