Chores

I think I mentioned that I made a chore chart for the girls a few weeks ago. I feel like it has been a good tool for them. They love the stars they get when they get their chores done. Lizette has a chart of extra chores that she can do to earn money. I pay her $.25 for every bigger chore that she completes. I don't think I will be giving my girls allowance, but I do like the idea of having them earn things. Last week Lizette was able to buy her first toy with her chore money. Along with her chore money, she had saved up some other change that I think Aunt Abby may have given her on one of her visits. So, she was able to purchase a small Strawberry Shortcake doll for $5.00.

In the process of counting her money to see if she had enough for her toy, I used this as a teaching moment about tithing. She thought tithing seemed like a pretty good idea, so she set that aside. Maybe next time I will try to throw in a lesson about saving.

I've been feeling pretty good about this whole chore thing because when we go to a store instead of asking for things, she will say, "Mom if I save up enough chore money, can I get that?" I like this kind of talk.

Yesterday, we ran into a little hiccup. I was out shopping for shoes for the girls...

By the way, I hate shopping for shoes for the girls! Why is it so hard to find cute, sensible shoes? I don't want bling or pink on every part of their wardrobe. Just some plain old Mary Jane's is all I'm asking for. Even my favorite shoe spot, Target, had nothing I liked. Ugh!

...Okay, back to my story. So as we were shopping Lizette kept finding things she wanted and I think it clicked that it is going to take a ton of chores to buy every last thing she wants. As we get in the car to head home, she started to complain. "Mom, other kids get to buy things without having to do chores!" I explained to her that number one, she has a TON of toys and should not be complaining, and number two, all kids have to do chores and they don't just get everything they want all the time.  Well, the ride home was kind of quiet, but by the time we got home she had decided that she wanted to do more chores so that she can earn that Hello Kitty doll she wants.

I hope that I'm on the right track here. I've talked on here before about how hard it is for me to not spoil my girls. I'm trying to reign that in at least a little and I'm hoping the chores will help them learn something.

I do have to say that Lizette is an excellent duster of baseboards. I give her the Swiffer and she goes to town! Now if I could somehow teach her to clean showers...