As a parent, you are probably of the mindset that summer vacation can never come soon enough and can never last long enough. The constant race against the clock and the piles of homework every evening finally comes to an end. You may find yourself getting so caught up on what is ending and not thinking at all about what is coming. Of course, you may fantasize about those slow paced mornings making pancakes and drinking coffee and the long evenings filled with garden fresh dinners, great wine and long conversations with your spouse. It is the time in the middle that seems to get left out. The constant refereeing of the sibling squabbles, monitoring screen/video time, and maintaining control of the snacking and mess making.
You may be faced with the fact that there is a lot of work ahead of you this summer. How are you going to get the house cleaned, laundry done, grocery shopping done and put at least one decent meal on the table everyday? How capable are your children in helping with those daily tasks? Kids need to have structure in their day and they need to have some sort of responsibility. They also need to be respectful of the work that is done around the house everyday.
Put your kids to the test and try “The Summer System”. Think about all of the things you do around the house on a daily basis and which things the kids are capable of doing. Make a list of chores specific to each child’s ability and make sure that each child has the same number of chores. For an example, most children ages five and up can be responsible for making their bed, picking up their room, carrying all their dirty clothes to the laundry room, taking out the garbage, and many more things. All chores must be completed by a set time. For each chore that is completed on time, the child gets a point. If a chore isn’t completed on time and you have to do it, you get a point. Everyone involved should have their own index card with a list of their assigned chores and should keep track of their own points. Every point is worth a set amount of money and is paid weekly. At the end of the week, you pay the kids for all of their points and then the kids have to pay you for your points.
It is hopeful that the kids learn the value of a little hard work and some respect for what goes on all day when they are at school. Who knows, by the end of the summer the kids might actually make their beds without being asked.
