Mummy's little helpers! Really? Where?

I have always said that I'm going to bring my boys up knowing how to do all the household chores.  This probably stems from having a husband who can't cook, doesn't know how to turn on the washing machine, and downright refuses to clean the toilet.  But somehow, my boys have got to almost 6, 4 and 1 (okay, I haven't got to worry about the little one yet) and still think that the housework is my responsibility.  They do absolutely nothing to help around the house, in fact, they take their clothes off and just leave them on the floor wherever they fall.

Oliver thinks you just need to lick the plate to clean it

Now, if truth be told I hate housework.  I am a great believer in doing it only when I absolutely have to, i.e. when I have visitors.  Luckily for my husband and children (though unluckily for me) that means I have to do some cleaning every week.  Although I hate it, I'm also a stickler for doing things properly.  I admit to being a bit of a control freak which doesn't usually work in my favour (my husband now refuses to load the dishwasher because I tell him off for doing it wrong).  I knew I needed to put this aside in order to teach my lovely boys the joys of housework.  I would hate to think that any future partner of theirs will complain about their lack of domestic skills the way that I do some women do about theirs.

Plus I was being nagged by the older two because they had been given a task in their last kickboxing lesson. Do a job for mum or dad every day for a week.  If they get seven ticks they'll get a sticker.  So I had to come up with a plan.  What could they help me with?  My vacuum cleaner is heavy and cumbersome; to be fair they'd never manage it (it's also been giving me static shocks and I don't want to scare them for life!); I suppose they could help load the dishwasher (I'll just have to reorganise it when they're not looking); and maybe a bit of lower lever dusting and polishing (after all they do create all the smears and smudges down there).

I decided they should start with the basics - making their own beds and tidying up their toys.

Day 1 and there was a lot of complaining.  I mean LOTS!  I threatened them with no tick on their chart and they begrudgingly pulled their covers up and threw some toys back into containers.  All for a sticker!  Who knew?!

Days 2 to 4 and there was less complaining with each day.  They were excited to get their tick and kept making sure that I was happy with their work.

The turning point came on Day 5.  They made their beds without having to be asked!!  Even more, they were folding their pyjamas and putting them on the bed, instead of throwing them on the floor.  Result!  (Their clothes were still being taken off and dropped on the floor of course, but one step at a time).

Zac making his bed with a smile!

Ethan tidying his toys away

Ethan had been the worst culprit at getting out every single toy that he owns, and then leaving them lying around.  But even he started to realise that tidying up wasn't so bad after all.  With the incentive of getting a whole sticker at the end of it, wouldn't you??

Even the baby joined in with the fun.  Get them started young and all that.

Multi-tasking

I think he needs cleaning more than the floor!

So with the tick chart complete and the sticker gained, that's the end, right?  No way.  I've got plans for my boys.  Next week we are moving on to 'hanging the coat up instead of throwing it on the floor' lesson, before starting on the 'wiping your own wee off the toilet seat' lesson (that one I'm really looking forward to).  By the time I've finished with them they will be domestic gods.  If only I can give up some control.  I will try, honest.........

This post is my entry to become a Morphy Richards Innovator