Chore Charts & Money Jars!!

Ching, ching, ching...I think that's all Abigail and Elijah are hearing in their heads tonight as they fall asleep. For awhile now, I've been thinking about creating some chore charts for the kids. Then this week, we were going through my scrapbooking stickers when we were making Valentine Day's cards and I found a bunch of stickers that would be fun for using for charts. It was the extra boost I needed to finally get around to the actual creating part!

We began on Wednesday and the kids have had such happy hearts as they run from chore to chore. As you can see, we have some work to do on the character issues, but it's a great way to remind them each day about what to be working on in their relationships with Mom & Dad, siblings and others. I already have several more responsibilities to add and a couple to take off for this week's chart. Elijah does not need a box for brushing his hair everyday, just for an example! : )

Elijah has become a little weary in picking out stickers too...another thing you can see from his chart! I decided on the second day that it was a bit too much for me (being pregnant) to sit on the floor as they pick out stickers and hold my finger where they need to place it. Instead I started using a sharpie and just add the dot as it occurs so they can put the stickers on whenever they see the dot. It's great for Abigail, a little too tedious for Elijah...so I'm not sure if I'll have to just make it simpler for him, like giving him less choices for stickers or what...

It's been a great motivator so far though, and it's led into other "chores" that they've come up with on their own! Today it was taking the big package of 24 rolls of toilet paper and distributing it between all the bathrooms....what a great thing! Little things like that really help out a pregnant mama in a BIG way!!

So tonight I made these little money jars, using some canning jars I bought at a garage sale last summer. Then after baths, Joel gave them a little talk about money and how we handle it. Abigail is often asking to "buy" things and collects any random coins that she finds around the house or car or wherever...sometimes my own purse! : ) So now she has a place to store them and give her more direction in how to use her money.

They are so excited to give "their" offering tomorrow at church...instead of me giving them money from my wallet...and I'm excited about that too actually! : )