Simple

We are taking a trip to Disneyland at the very end of April.  We want the kids to have some spending money, but we would rather they earn it instead of us just giving it to them.  I've been wanting the kids do more jobs around the house anyway (because really, I do it all), but trying to figure out a simple way to do this was going to be absolutely necessary.  Because I need more simple.  And having four little kids is already not simple.

So, here is my job chart solution.  These two papers are taped on our wall at kid level.  Each of the eight remaining weeks left before we leave is on the chart.  Each day I decide what I want them to do and then use a pencil (because we all know how great pens are at writing in a horizontal position) to write in their job(s).  After Natalie gets home from school, we all spend some time working on jobs.  I help out because some of it they don't know how to do alone...yet.  When they are done, they put a sticker on for that day.  They will then get paid a set amount per week for doing all their jobs.  If they don't do all of the week's jobs, they will get paid a lesser amount based on how much they did do.  (Their weekly pay amount is based on how much spending money we wanted them to have at Disneyland, divided by the eight weeks left.  They will likely get a paycut after our trip...)

Funny story... Yesterday Natalie's job was to mop.  She was disgruntled and said "I don't know how to do that!"  I told her she was going to learn.  It would be a lot easier if I had something like a swiffer.  But I don't.  I have a wonder mop and a bucket.  The wringer on the mop can be a little hard, but Natalie was able to do it and she was able to mop the whole floor by herself.  About halfway through she exclaimed, "This is fun!" and "Mopping is the best job ever!"  I had to smile and laugh a little (like some of you are probably doing right now) because, really, it isn't.  On her job chart yesterday she even wrote, "this is fun!"

I asked her what the worst job ever is, and she said in a growly voice, "Laundry."  I don't make them do their own laundry, but I do have them fold/hang and put away their own laundry.  When the kids' pile of clean laundry became large enough to use as a ladder, I insisted on them helping me with it.  What's funny is, a few years ago when I started having Natalie help, she begged to do it because she thought it was so much fun.  But not anymore I guess.  Hopefully her love of mopping stays around a little longer.  Because I really loved not mopping.

Also, Kelton loves washing windows and mirrors.  I think this is mostly due to the fact that he gets to spray them first.  And Damon is an awesome wall washer.  Give that kid a wet rag and he will "scrub off all the yuckies" he can find.  This is great because all the dirty walls coincidentally happen to be right at his level...

And, not to be forgotten, is Arie.  No jobs yet, but she does spend a lot of her awake time exercising by jumping like crazy in her Jumperoo, which I just now realized I have no pictures of.  And she is five months old.  Crazy.  Some of her other current favorite things to do are putting both hands in her mouth at the same time, blowing raspberries (new as of yesterday), trying to grab things out of our hands, and grabbing her toes and then rolling to the side.  She does this repeatedly and ends up pivoting in full circles.  She now pays a lot of attention to our food, which means it is about time to start with the dreaded baby food stage.  I don't like messes, so baby food and I don't get along too well.  Her pediatrician said to start her at five months.  But I've been trying to hold out for six months, because it's one more month I don't have to deal with the time and mess involved in feeding a baby something other than just milk.

Oh yeah, another thing she has started doing is sucking in her bottom lip.  You can kind of see it in this picture.

And one random picture.  Damon has such a sweet little face--when he's being sweet.  I need to get a picture of his "angry eyes" when he's mad, because I think it's really cute. The face, not the anger.  He was eating lunch like this--through the slats in the chair.  And this picture gave me a great idea for another chore for the kids.  Those chairs are fingerprinted filthy!