Friday, June 10, 2011

Type A

I think I am a pretty typical Type A personality.  I like things orderly and in their place.  I am punctual.  In certain situations, I don't like to delegate, because I find it less stressful to just do things myself.  This personality type does not necessarily compliment the life that Monkey Toes and I have opened ourselves up to.  Having a house full of children, I have had to challenge myself to adapt, and not always very successfully.  I find myself more at ease and more able to enjoy life when my house is in order or a "mess" is cleaned up.  I'm always a little envious of those who live by the phrase, "the mess isn't going anywhere, so you may as well enjoy your _____________" (family, weather, etc.).  I tend to think, "yeah, the mess isn't going anywhere and that's precisely why I need to clean it up now."  Don't misunderstand me, my house is far from perfect.  As I type this, I have Raman Noodles stuck to my floor (I usually wait until they dry-up a little.  They're easier to clean up that way) and a mountain of laundry to tackle.  My hallway is lined with kids books (an obstacle course) and there are tiny pieces of paper that keep showing up from my children trying to make confetti. So in an attempt to take a little stress off of me and hopefully begin teaching my kids some responsibility, I have given them a chore chart to follow. 

We all have everyday tasks that should be completed - make beds, dirty clothes in laundry basket, shoes in cubby, and outside toys put away each night before bed.  Then on a rotation are dishes, sweeping, wiping the table, and taking out the garbage.  On certain days will be tasks such as vacuuming and cleaning the bathrooms.  Today is day #4 and I have to admit it is going well.  Since we run the dishwasher before we go to bed, the designated child unloads it when he/she wakes up.  The table gets wiped and the floor swept after each meal.  The trash gets taken out in the evening.  The chart keeps everyone organized and there (so far) has been no argument about who has to do what.  This not only has been good for the kids, but it's a good lesson for me.  I have to learn to let the kids do their chores without constantly looking over their shoulder.  My way isn't the only way (gulp).  Deep down I know that these are skills my children need to learn and truly they are doing a great job.   So less stress for me means a happier mom who has more time to play with my kids and enjoy them. 

1 comment:

  1. Can you motivate me to clean my bathroom? I require more than a sticker or check mark on the list though!

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