Chores! Yuck!

I am fairly certain that this is how every person alive really feels about chores.

I know I do.

I know my children do.

I don't think Rainman thinks too much about them......except when they haven't been done!

I have tried various things through the years to help keep on top of chores....or even to make them more fun.

They have worked with various success.

One attempt that has sort of lasted the longest (even though I sort of pick and choose what aspects to follow), is FlyLady.

I get overwhelmed with the e-mails from them that are supposed to encourage me....even though I switched to the one a day method.  So, most of them end up just deleted....but, when I do take the time to read them, they are encouraging....so I don't remove myself from their mailing list.

My latest attempt at assigning chores to the kids was actually pretty successful....but it involved me having to think.  And, quite frankly, some days, I am just not in the mood to think.

Here is how that would work.

I would take a look around the house at what needed to be done.  Somethings were on the list everyday (sweeping the kitchen)....some were just because we hadn't paid attention to them in a while (shoe area or piles of "stuff" on the stairs).

I would try to come up with a certain number each day so the chores could be given out equally....one per child, two per child, or three per child...keeping in mind that V-girl (even though she thinks she is just like the big kids) can't do things the big kids can.  She would usually just get 1 or 2 easy chores that I would give her from her "special" pile.

Then I would write the chore on a little cut up piece of scrap paper and divide them into piles based on the number of jobs per kid.....like 2 jobs per kid equals 2 piles.

Then I would hold them out like playing cards and the kids would pick their jobs. 

Pick a card.....any card......

This method resulted in far less complaining than when I assigned them specific jobs.  Although I did have to put a moratorium on trades because there was definitely some unfair trading happening behind the scenes.

Like I said, this system was pretty good.  Not great.  Pretty good...as long as I was in the mood to think.....and could stand to hear whining if there were 3 piles instead of just one. 

That was a loooong introduction to now tell you about a review product we got to try as part of the Molly Review Team. 



The "Molly" team is an extension of The OldSchoolhouse Reviews that I already do.  The Molly Crew reviews items that aren't curriculum related. It's more of gardening, kitchen gadgets, and just general household or money saving ideas.  Except for the gardening.....stuff that is right up my alley.










It is called The Everyday Chore System put together by Everyday Homemaking - Practical Ideas for Busy Families.


The Everyday Chore System.


Doesn't that have a wonderful ring to it?


The Everyday Chore System.


Can you hear the choir singing?


Sigh.





It was really everything I had hoped....and more.


The Everyday Chore System is about  a 90 page e-book.


This book is a hit.  I loved it. 


I will tell you even though I loved this book from the moment I printed it out and started reading it (there are some e-books that I have to be able to hold in my hands)....I didn't get started with the chore system right away.  But, I will tell you more about that later.

So, why did I love this before I even started using it????

And, how do I tell you about it without giving all the secrets away????


Well, here is my attempt at titillating you with just enough information to make you want to try this system out for yourself.


The book had me at "hello". 

In the introduction to this book, written by the author, Vicki Bentley....she titled this section of the book:

Who is this woman, and why is she telling me this?

She goes on to tell a story about when she knew how she was training her kids to help run the household had paid off.  A time when she was unexpectedly called away because of her sick father.  Her girls stepped up in her absence and kept things running, smoothly. 

Do you know what that means?  She did not come home to a huge mess.  The schoolwork had been completed.  Their chores had been done.  They had brushed their teeth.  The girls had handled everything.

Now, before you accuse me of being sexist....because I said her daughters stepped in and ran the household......she only has daughters.....8 of them, to be exact (plus lots of foster kids).


I read this book quite a few times and picked up different little tidbits each time. 


The whole first part of the book talks about child training being the first step to successful home management training.

And, to quote Ms. Bentley...

"I hesitated to even call this The Everyday Family Chore System (partly because I didn't want it to be misperceived as a How-To-Make-Slaves-Of-Your-Children system!)...."


Wait a minute now......What is wrong with making slaves of your children?  It worked for my parents!  Ha!  Just kidding!  (Love you, Mom!)

Anyway, for a few tidbits....

Not sure of God's will for your life?  This is one sure answer:

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
                                                                                                       - I Thessalonians 5:16-18

She goes on to talk about the expectation for the kids that work will be completed with a pleasant attitude, thoroughly, and reasonably well....according to their ability.

I know.

A pleasant attitude.

Is it possible?

Is it even possible for me?

Somehow, both my children and I can work diligently and pleasantly if we are at someone else's house, cleaning up someone else's things.....but can't seem to muster up that same work ethic and attitude at our own humble abode.

Why is that?

Anyway.....she is also a proponent of consequences for a job poorly done.  Sometimes even monetary consequences.

(Dum...dum....dum.  Or do you write that....Duh....duh....duh.....or.... dun....tu.....duh.....)


But, the basic goal of all of this is to train your children to be responsible, skilled, and diligent.

Have you ever wondered at what age your kids should be able to do certain things?  Like brush their teeth?  Do their own laundry?  Change a flat tire?  Change a furnace filter?  Plan a budget?  Get themselves dressed in the morning?

Ms. Bentley has a "Life Skills" list included in this book that gives you an idea at what age to start training in these kinds of things and the age at which they should have it mastered.

(I may or may not have gotten in trouble with a teenage friend of ours, when I shared some items on this list with her mother.  Oops!)


Listen to this this nugget - Regarding motivation for success: 

Kids do what we inspect and not necessarily what we expect.

Read that last statement over in your head again.  You know it is true, don't you?


The actual system is working quite well for us....although I am still tweaking it a bit, so it matches the way our house is set up.

She does use of bit of FlyLady's methods and mentality, especially on cleaning by areas or zones.  Which is probably why I liked this system so much, since I have already been following the Fly Lady mentality around here.

I mentioned earlier that I didn't get started on this book as soon as I could have. 

Why?

I read it.  Read it again.  Took notes.  Got ideas.  Read it again.  Made some lists.  Read parts again.  Thunk some thoughts.  Did a few sketches of what I wanted my chart to look like.  Went over some parts of the book again, and finally.....

I started on my chore chart.  For some reason, I wanted my chart to be beautiful and perfect before we even started.

If you are familiar with FlyLady....you know that is those kinds of perfectionistic tendencies (like wanting a cute chore chart) that get us in trouble when it comes to keeping C.H.A.O.S. at bay.

Any idea what C.H.A.O.S. is????

Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome.....because your house is in such disarray.

I took two big ideas away from me with this book.

One is to make sure the kids understand what you expect of them.  For example, if I give them the assignment to "tidy" their room.  Their idea of what this means and mine, are two totally different things. 

So, now they each have a page protected list of bullet points taped up in their room, as to what I mean when I say "tidy" their room.

Simple?  Yes.  Effective?  Definitely.

The other big thing I took from this is to use the How To Do It cards.  Which are exactly what they sound like.....again, helps the kids realize just what exactly you are expecting.  Then, of course, you have to "inspect" too.

I wish I would have had a laminator or had gotten clear Contact paper (as she suggested) to make my How To Do It cards a little more....ummm....sturdy. 

I have had to print out a few new sets of A-man's cards.  He carries them with him like he is supposed to, when he is doing his chore, so he can make sure he is doing the job correctly and isn't forgetting any steps....but, then instead of going back to my cute little chart, they get set down.... in our good old Georgia clay...or, on the kitchen counter, where, of course,  a watermelon is set down on top of them and cut up....a juicy watermelon....if you catch my drift.


Oh, I forgot one little thing that it great about this system.  It gets all of those little weird jobs done as you go along....so you don't ever really have to do a big spring cleaning (not that I ever have really done that anyway....but, you get the point).

Those weird little jobs, like cleaning out the toaster, or washing the walls in the dining room, or scrubbing the baseboards in your bathroom.  Maybe those aren't weird little undone jobs at your house....but they are at mine!


Ms. Bentley also has an Everyday Cooking book that sounds awesome too. It is actually the first book in the Everyday Homemaking series.



I am actually planning to get it, partly because the other reviewers have talked about how good the recipes are, but also because with a large family, I assume the portion sizes will be right for my family.....that doesn't happen very often.  Her books also focus on whole foods type cooking, which is something that I am trying to do more of with my new eating plan (more on that later....planning some "before" and "during" shots....we aren't to the "after" yet!).


You can get The Everyday Chore System book for $19.99.  If you want the e-book version and just print it yourself,  you can get started immediately on making your own perfect chore chart, for $17.99. 

You want to see how cute, and almost "perfect" my little chore chart turned out?

Here you go!

(I blocked out the kids names, in the center, that you don't know  - but trust me, even that part is cute!)

Let me show you the top of my chart a little closer....

Don't just believe my word on what the other reviewers thought of Everyday Cooking....or even what I thought about the Everyday Chore System.  Go take a look for yourself.


Disclaimer:  I received a e-book version of The Everyday Chore System for free, in exchange for an honest review.

Ten Girls from History

We got the chance to review this book about .....Ten Girls from History, written by Kate Dickinson Sweetser and edited by Amy Puetz.



There is something to be said for truth in advertising, isn't there? 

I am always looking for ways to inspire my girls to be greater than many of the role models that seem available to them today.

Something that you can't seem to find from T.V. shows on The Learning Channel (TLC), like Toddlers and Tiaras or Say Yes To the Dress....or even most children's shows on Nick, Disney and, certainly none can be found on ABC Family (don't get me started on that one).


That is why this book, in theory, was perfect for them...and me. 


It could give them ideas and a sense of "I can do a lot with my life!"

A lot more than pick out a ridiculously expensive wedding dress.......or dress up little kids in very grown up clothes, with lots of make-up and parade them around.....or learn different ways to lie to and smart mouth your parents.

The book is recommended for ages 10 and up.  Perfect! L-girl is 10 and A-girl is 12....and I am "up".

It is published by Golden Prairie Press.





The stories were inspiring and made you think about whether you would have that much fortitude or courage in some of the same situations.

But, the thing that wasn't so great, for us, was the writing style.  We all found it really hard to read.  I don't even know how to describe it, other than  it seemed really formal and many times, separated from the story.

Does that even make sense?

It could be that is was written in the early 1900's. 

Here is a statement about the book, from the author, Kate Dickinson Sweetser from 1917.

My first aim in bringing the lives of these ten girls from history
to the attention of the girls of today has been to inspire them to like
deeds of patriotism and courage. Second only to that purpose is a
desire to make young Americans realize as they read these true
stories of achievement along such widely varying lines of work,
that history is more thrilling than fiction, and that if they will turn
from these short sketches to the longer biographies from which the
facts of these stories have been taken, they will find interesting and
absorbing reading.

May the book accomplish its twofold object, and so justify its
publication at this time of the testing of all true Americans."

Kate Dickinson Sweetser
August 1, 1917

I love that. 

Especially these two statements: 

History is more thrilling than fiction. 

Inspire them to like deeds of patriotism and courage.


That is inspiring in and of itself.  So.....yes, we read the stories and yes, by the time we waded through them, they were interesting and inspiring....just like I had hoped.

But, it was a long process getting there.

I had L-girl and A-girl just randomly pick a story that sounded good to them to start with, rather than just read through the book sequentially.  Then, I asked them to write a summary style page about it.

L-Girl picked Cofachiqui, an Indian Princess that was initially fooled by the explorer Hernandez De Soto, but ended up getting the last laugh.

A-girl initially picked Louisa May Alcott since we had recently watched Little Women.  However, she ended up switching her selection to Clara Morris:  The Girl Who One Fame As An Actress - because she found the story on Louisa May Alcott too confusing and hard to follow.

I chastised her a bit, because she has not turned into the voracious reader that I had been at her age and just assumed she would also be.  I will admit it.  I thought she was just being lazy.  So, I sat down to read it and prove her wrong.

Well. 

I saw her point.  It was sort of hard to read.  Some of the problem was vocabulary.....in the first page or two they threw out words like treatise and flourish...but not even in the way I was used to hearing them used. 

There is a glossary at the end of the book that gives definitions for some of the words (which were in boldface in the stories), many taken from Websters Dictionary in 1828. But, in an e-book format, it was hard to get to the right page that you needed to look them up....and then get back to the page you had been reading.  And, honestly, we would have had to look up a lot more words than they had put in boldface.

(Maybe I am doing a horrible job on teaching vocabulary to my kids???  I will have to think about that one later.)

I switched over to her new choice, Clara Morris.  It was a little easier to read, but still felt very formal and used a lot of vocabulary words that I am fairly certain A-girl just breezed past.....whether she understood the words or not.

But it comes down to this,   these stories are great, inspiring stories.  Look at who the ten girls are!

Louisa May Alcott: Author of Little Women
Clara Barton: The Angel of the Battlefield
Molly Pitcher: The Brave Gunner of the Battle of Monmouth
Cofachiqui: An Indian Princess
Madeleine De Vercheres: The Heroine of Castle Dangerous
Dorothy Quincy: A Girl of the American Revolution
Ida Lewis: The Heroine of Lime Rock Lighthouse
Elizabeth Van Lew: The Girl who Risked all for the Union
Virginia Reed: Midnight Heroine of the Plains
Clara Morris: The Girl who Won Fame as an Actress


Great stuff.  It really is.

But, some of them are a harder read than others. 

Think of it this way, if they do get through them, and take the time to look up words they don't understand, they will come away with a fabulous vocabulary and understanding of words. 

We received a PDF version of this book.  I think we would have done a lot better with an actual physical copy to go cuddle up together and read these stories....outloud...with a dictionary handy for the hard words....and be able to flip back to the glossary when words like, "accoutrements" were used.   

See?  Do you know what that means?  Would you if you were a 12 year old girl?

FYI - It means: Dress; equipage; furniture for the body; appropriately, military dress and arms. Equipage for military service.


The stories are really inspiring and I learned a lot of little details that I didn't know about some of these girls.  And, if I am honest, I hadn't heard of most of them before....so I did learn something.  My girls did too.  It just wasn't the easy, breezy book I somehow thought it was going to be, since it was for ages 10 and up.


You can normally get a copy of Ten Girls From History for $20.00.  (For the same price, if you have an auditory learner, or want something different to listen to on your next road trip, you can get it as an Mp3 audio book. )

But, Amy Puetz (the editor) is having a Back To School sale (20% off) until September first, so, go take a look around.



I hope I haven't scared you off.  This is really a good book....just not an easy read for some kids (or grown ups).


There are other titles available in the Heroines of the Past series that look really interesting through Golden Prairie Press.


The Review Crew got to choose from four different e-books for this review.  The other three were; Heroines of the Past Bible Study; Costumes With Character; and, Uncovering Exciting History.  Take a look and see if my opinion matched up with others on the Review Crew.


Disclaimer:  We received a PDF version of the book Ten Girls From History for free, in exchange for an honest review.

Mr. Pipes

Are you ever embarrassed by your reading selections?

I am not talking about the old bosum heaving in Fabio's arms kind of romance novel.

I am talking about one your children's books.

Not a secret pleasure in reading I'll Love You Forever....but one of your older kid's books.

An older, teenager kind of book, like the book, Moxie.  It is considered a young adult, fantasy novel....that I thoroughly enjoyed.  Sort of embarrassing, but not horrible.  (I am happy to report that A-girl is reading it right now  - she is much closer to its target audience that I am. She is liking it just as much as I did!   I feel a bit redeemed.)


I have also thoroughly enjoyed the Harry Potter books, but, regardless of their marketing, I stand firm in my conviction that they are not children's books.  I just let D-man read this in the last year....and only after he had read, This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti.


But, I just had the opportunity to review a book that wasn't really intended for me and I am sort of embarrassed by how much I liked it.  It was one of those ones where even if I had the chance to stop reading after a chapter, I would usually read just one more....just to see what happens.

It is published by Christian Liberty Press and it is called Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers.



It is a fictional novel that uses a small town church organist (Mr. Pipes....get it?) to teach about how some of the most famous hymns came to be and who the people were that wrote them.

No offense to author, Douglas Bond, but, it doesn't really sound like it would be a great book, does it?

However, (and this is where the slightly embarrassing part comes in), it was really interesting and ended up being one of those books that I knew I was learning something, but it had me so relaxed and caught up in the characters that I didn't care.  You know how sometimes you are in the mood for mindless reading?  Well, this certainly wasn't mindless reading, but it left me with that same sense of relaxation as those types of books usually do.

It sort of reminded me of the Mitford series.  Nothing really scandalous happens.  Just every day people living their everyday, hum drum lives.

But, still fascinating and relaxing somehow.




It is intended for grades 7 through 10. 

Or, in my case, a mom in her 40's.

The author, Douglas Bond,  did a really good job of weaving the hymn makers lives into the story of an old church organist teaching some visiting children about the history of hymns that many of us have been singing for years. 

Each of the twelve chapters focuses on one hymn writer or a group of hymn writers (like the Scots).

Although it is a 298 page book....which may scare off some young readers....it didn't drag for me.

I am having L-girl, A-girl and D-man read this as part of music history/reading exercise.

The only down side for us, is that we don't have an e-reader and are having to read it from a PDF file on our computer screen.  Not ideal....but doable.

Actually, I probably should be doing this book as a read aloud and include my littler ones too. 

Hmmm.....

Anyway......the book has charming illustrations (by Ron Ferris) too.  To me, it feels like a book from a bygone era....one that your grandma would have sitting on her shelves that you don't really want to read....but when there is nothing better to do at her house....you give it a shot....and end up liking it.

This book also pointed out something to me.  More on this after I give you a little history.

I grew up attending a very traditional Methodist church.

Through the years, I have tried out other styles of worship and even various denominations.....but, I am a Methodist.

My kids have attended a lot of contemporary worship services with me.  Some in denominations other than Methodist...but mostly Methodist.  We currently attend a contemporary worship service at a Methodist church.  I am actually one of the singers in the praise band.

So, what did this book point out to me?

It meant that when I read the book, I knew instantly which hymn they were talking about as soon as I read the lyrics.  I could sing along in my head with the songs as their origins were revealed.

My kids didn't have that instant recognition....because they are used to singing mostly praise and worship songs....not hymns.

It made me sort of sad.  Not sad enough to start attending a traditional service every Sunday....but, maybe more often than we do now.

I have certain songs embedded in my head with events from my past....obviously, there are "funeral" songs in my head....but there are other happier memories from church events and Christmas programs that all have the background music of traditional hymns.

My kids will not have that same background music playing inside their heads.  I am not sure how I feel about that.  I think maybe they will be missing out on some beautiful music and lyrics. 


Anyway, embarrassing or not, I loved this book.  The kids are working through it, like I said as a combination music history/reading.....and their younger siblings may be hearing this book soon too.


Christian Liberty Press has a lot of other stuff available on their site, if you want to go take a look around.  Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers is available as a PDF download for $8.79. or get the real thing in your hands for $9.89.  You know me, I would have preferred the "real" book in my hands.

Douglas Bond has written two other books in the Mr. Pipes series that I may have to check out.


Mr. Pipes and Psalms and Hymns of the Reformation

Mr. Pipes Comes to America

See what other members of the Review Crew thought of Mr. Pipes.



Disclaimer:  I received a free PDF copy of Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers in exchange for an honest review.