The Craziness We Call Life and How I Fixed It

Getting out the house to go to school & work last year was a nightmare for me and my 2 small children.

Let me tell you a story.

Picture this...

Me:
"Please go get your shoes on."

2 minutes later...

Me:
"GET YOUR SHOES ON!!!"

2 minutes after the last 2 minutes...

Me:
"NOW!"

A little bit later...

Me:
"Honey, you need to get your backpack ready. Where is it?"

Soon after...

Me:
"WHERE IS YOUR BACKPACK?"

Shortly after the soon after...

Me:
"I ASKED YOU WHERE IS YOUR BACKPACK???"


{DEEP BREATHS WERE TAKEN HERE...}


Were you able to imagine that?

Have you lived that moment?

It isn't pretty.

Nor is it fun.

A dear friend of mine came to the rescue one day during our Sunday Scrapbooking trips. She is the mother of 4 girls and she is the most organized mom I know. I aspire to be like her.  She has a binder for everything and a day planner that rocks.  With 4 girls who are involved in dance, tennis, girl scouts, piano lessons, and school activities, she has to be OR-GA-NIZED. 

Anyway, she was telling me about her chore chart that she bought when her kids were younger and how it helped her organize the responsibilities around the house. 

I was immediately intrigued.  I asked her to send me photos of it.  She did.

I was in love with a piece of wood and chore cards.

I thought I could track down the lady who  made it...OR...I could make one myself.  That's what I did.

And I love it.

It has brought a calmness to our morning like nothing else. 

No longer am I yelling, "GO GET YOUR SHOES ON RIGHT NOW!"...

Instead, I am simply asking, "Have you earned all your stars?" or "Have you done all your chores?"

And if they haven't, they can clearly see what they need to do before we leave the house in the morning.

And when everyone gets home in the afternoon, there are new chores to remind them to wash their hands (germs...germs...germs...), do homework, set the dinner table, tidy up their bedrooms, brush their teeth before bed, and say prayers.

It is fabulous.  And you can read all about it & more right here: Custom Made Chore Charts.