Not Bored with this Board!- Summer Chore, Learning, and Allowance Board

Summer sure is flying by. Only a few short weeks before it's time for getting up earlier, hours of homework, and cramming any fun or relaxation for the kids onto the weekends. Of course- the summer months at our household haven't exactly been just laziness in the sunshine. No- I made sure my kiddos had some daily to do things to keep them busy, to exercise their brains, and to allow them opportunity to enhance their summertime experiences with some of their own spending money. Hence- our Summer Stars Whiteboard above.

I have found that having a system that combines rewards with consequences works very well with my children. So- for the positive part- my children can earn stars for completion of work through the week. The more stars they earn the better the reward. 6 stars = Special Treat (ice cream, cupcakes, their own candy snack mix, etc) with a late night movie on Friday or Saturday. 7 stars = Same thing AND the privilage of being able to play computer and video games over the weekend. 9 stars = Treat, Movie, Games, AND camping out in the living room one weekend night or camping outside in a tent. They only earned ALL stars once this summer and we actually went on a camping trip.

The consequences for bad attitudes, lying, tattling, arguing, slacking on chores, etc are 3 strikes. Because children aren't perfect (they are only human) I have to remember to give a few "chances" before taking away any privelages. There are some days when more than just "3 strikes" occur and other disciplinary action is needed (naps, corner time, etc) but this system seems to work pretty well. Here's how it works- each time my children act out of line to what they are expected to act like or when they do something wrong and they know better- they are given a strike for their negative behavior. If they get 3 strikes in a day- then they need to go to bed at 8:30pm (which is about 45 minutes early on a weekday and can be up to 2 hours early on a weekend). They also lose one of their "tallys" which I will explain next...

 My children earn tallies when they complete their daily chores, weekend chores, and learning activities I have come up with to keep their brains fresh "in the know" on reading, writing, and math. Tallies then add up to stars. Weekday chores include: dishes, feeding the chickens, feeding the dogs and cats, taking out the compost, taking out the garbage, wiping down bathroom counters, and setting the table for dinner. There are 6 days of opportunity- Sunday through Friday. Each day of completed chores equals a tally. 6 tallies equals a star.  Then there are weekend chores- bedroom, laundry, and superclean bathroom tub and floor. Each completed weekend chore is just one tally and a star automatically when completed. Then there are reading, journaling, and math activities that I've prepared for the kids to do each evening. When completed they get tallies. As you can see- they did need to read 7 times during the week, do 6 journal activities, and complete 4 math activities. I've eased up on them for August and brought the journaling down to 5 and reading down to 6 times- it can just be too difficult to accomplish so much. :) Anyway- each time equals a tally and when all tallies are earned it equals a star. Again- the more stars earned the more fun can be had!

 

Now, I am a parent who doesn't believe in allowance for chores that should be done as a "help" to the family anyway.  But I still believe in giving my children extra opportunity to earn some allowance for their own personal spending and to learn the value of money and saving too. So I came up with a few "extra chores" that can be done by choice to earn money for summer spending. Things such as weeding the garden, helping clean the kitchen stove, counters, fridge, putting away groceries, wiping down doors and cupboards, etc. When my children complete, and I review, one of these "Extra $ Chores" they move the magnet to their "bank" area so at the end of a week I can total it up and give them half for spending and half for their bank accounts. My kids have worked extra hard this last week to earn money for a skating field trip they are taking with the Boys and Girls Club tomorrow. My son likes to buy himself water bottles and treats in the vending machines. And my daughter is striving to save so she can buy fake nails and glue to use. I'll humor her on that one until school starts. :)


So- that's my board for keeping my kiddos from being bored. Did you implement any reward systems over the summer? Do you have your children earn allowance? I'd love to hear your input! Please share your delightful perception!

Romancing One Another- When, Where, and Money... Tips and Ideas

 

As a wife and mother of 2 children, I don't always have the time or energy to get out of the house with my husband. It is a very rare occasion to actually have time to ourselves, and then when we do have that time it can be difficult to find the energy to actually go somewhere because we have to put the time into thinking about where we want to go and to work it in the budget to pay for it too.

This post will have a few tips and place ideas to keep handy in regards to dating while being a parent, a married couple, or being in a relationship while having a busy lifestyle. This is also a selfish reasoning post as I'm hoping that writing all of this out will keep the ideas and tips at my fingertips and fresh in my mind for my own relationship. What can I say? Everything seems easier for me after I organize it and write it down.

When to Date:

- Play hooky during a random work week day once every few months (if you have kids, this will be while they are at school or in a day care program.)

- Have the kids go to a friends' house after school for just a few hours on a weeknight.

- Take a whole weekend and have the kids (if any) stay at Grandma's or Aunt's house.

- If you have a nice neighbor and your kids are a little older (10-12), have them watch themselves for a couple of hours - notify the neighbor to keep an eye on things.

- Take the whole family- but seperate adults from kids with the "trust test"--- see examples on where you may be able to pull this off in the Where section below.

Money to Date:

- Save your spare change in a piggy bank and make it exclusively for going out once there's enough.

- Round all your bills up to the nearest dollar when budgeting, and record the remaining change left in your account so you can cash out and do something with it after it adds up.

- Set aside $100 in "special occasion" money each month. This can be used for various occasions (birthdays, holidays, etc. But some months it may not ALL get spent and then it can be transfered over to a "date night special occasion".

- Take $50 out of your grocery money for the month- get the ingredients for two inexpensive dinners and some bread and milk for the week. Then set the rest aside for a date!

Where to "Date":

At home:

- Homemade dinner for two at the table: snack foods, crab legs, make a meal together, etc. It is always nice to sit down to a quiet dinner of good food and just talk about adult things. It's nicer when that meal is quick and easy so you're not just reminded of work. Just making food for two is a lot easier anyway then making a meal for a family.

- Morning coffee on the deck. While the kids are still sleeping, or getting ready for the day, take a half hour and just sit in the morning with a cup of coffee and your loved one to enjoy each other before the stresses of the day bombard you.

- Sounds terrible- but on the couch in front of the TV can be nice when kids are asleep or not at home. Rent a movie that piques both of your interests. Watch a whole series of TV shows that you both enjoy and make it a marathon.

- Play a game- board game, video game, card game, etc. In my opinion- sometimes it isn't easy to find the motivation to do this- but if you force yourself you'll find you're having a good time after you get into it.

- Go for a walk or do an outside project together. Plant a garden. Watch the animals. Burn down that pile of yard debris.

Out of the house:

- Bowling. (Can be an Adult/Child Seperated activity if playing on different lanes!)

- Theme park.

- Casino.

- Movie.

- Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner somewhere. (Can be an Adult/Child Seperated activity when sitting at different tables!)

- Hiking.

- Camping.

- Fishing.

- Skating.

- Backroad driving.

- Miniature golf (Can be an Adult/Child Seperated activity if you let the kids go a couple ahead of you.)

And, now I'm at a loss or have a block with coming up with creative dating ideas...

Please comment and share your ideas! I'd love to have more to add to my list so I have a good queue of choices. Have a great rest of your week!