Category Archives: Chores

Chores And Children

By Headmistress | Published: June 25, 2014

Somebody asked me what to do about kids who seem to have no work ethic at all- when given tasks to do, they just wander off at the first opportunity.  An example given was stacking the wood- a chore the whole family was supposed to work at for an hour, with a promised trip to […]

Also posted in parenting | 3 Responses

Teaching Your Children How to Do Their Chores

By Headmistress | Published: August 17, 2010

When you first want to teach a child a chore, you spend time doing the chore with him. Model it, talk about what you are doing, include him, explain what you do and why. Do this a few times (at least). Gradually hand over parts of the chore. You may find great success giving him […]

Also posted in Mothering | 2 Responses

Chore List

By Headmistress | Published: March 11, 2010

MONDAY Water plants in sunroom: FYB Water Plants in Common Room and Kitchen: FYG Water Plants in Backyard: (not in the winter, of course) FYG Water Plants in Front Yard, all along tire wall both sides and pots by doors (not in winter of course) – FYB Clutter patrols- everybody. Sweep the downstairs (all of […]

Also posted in large families, organization | 3 Responses

Cooking with small children underfoot

By Headmistress | Published: October 22, 2009

I sat them in a high chair with a bowl, a spoon, and a few small containers of ingredients- flour, corn meal, some oats, a spoonful of oil or water- nothing harmful because I don’t want to worry if they put it in their mouths. Nothing overly expensive, because they are just going to stir […]

Also posted in parenting | Leave a comment

Children and Chores

By Headmistress | Published: October 17, 2009

In the 1969 pamphlet Teach Your Child Free Enterprise! by Dr. W. S. McBirne, published in 1969, the author talks about allowances and chores. One of the harms he says we do children is to give them an allowance instead of paying them for honest, real labor. There’s a handy chart in the back with […]

Also posted in Books, economics, Mothering, parenting | Leave a comment