Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Molly Crew Review: Everyday Homemaking's Family Chore System


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Is it ever "too late" to implement a good family chore system?  I realize at times that I've not done a good job of teaching my children how to work and help out around our home.  Epic Fail on my part!  My kids and I need help.  Is there a 9-1-1 for hopeless moms?  I think so!  The Everyday Family Chore System by Vicki Bentley of Everyday Homemaking is proving to be just what we need.

Vicki is a professional mom having raised 8 daughters and almost 50 foster children, and she knows just what it takes to smoothly run a well-functioning household.  She kindly shares her insight and system so that families of all shapes and sizes can run effectively.  I was encouraged to read as she shared her heart:
"My goal is to encourage you and provide some tools to help you to mentor your children in what it means to be a responsible, caring, sharing part of your family. That will include some training in appropriate attitudes and character, as well as the physical teaching of how to accomplish a task."
I was compelled to get my family on board when I realized that Vicki had Kingdom Purposes on her mind when she put her system in place.
The purposes of implementing a family chore system are (1) to train your children to be responsible members of a family and to diligently serve one another, and (2) to disciple or apprentice them in living skills. Serving and honoring one another -- and GOD -- is at the heart of the success of any home management training "system."
I desire above all else for us to serve one another with gladness and I am continually reminded that my family is a work in progress.  Aren't we all, though?  Just today, I find myself admonishing my children to speak with kindness -- to offer grace and love and mercy to each other; to speak with honey and not with vinegar as they interact with each other; to be kind and tender one to another.   Some days, I feel like a failure.  Other days I think we've got it.  There's quite a bit of preparation that goes into growing a family up in the LORD and we have such a short amount of time to get it all right.  Vicki shares that the way to prepare yourself in the family service arena is by having age-appropriate expectations, pre-set consequences, and a sense of humor.  I'm working on all of these and the pages of The Everyday Family Chore System is helping me.

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This 91-page book is divided into three major sections and also includes an introduction of inspiration and a resource section of character training, child discipline and home management training books that are sure to touch your heart as you prepare to be the very best parent you can be.  The three major sections are:

Part One:  Laying a Foundation explains the basic principles or foundations on which acts of service are based.  These include:  having realistic and age appropriate expectations {a good principle for this mama to focus on}, establishing rules and standards {so I can say Yes more and No less}, having a working knowledge of family discipline that demonstrates LOVE in action, AND tying strings to their hearts {my main goal as a mom -- connecting with my children and making sure they KNOW they are loved.  I want HOME to always be a place of rest and safety for them and their families -- a place they WANT to return to again and again}.
Part Two:  Implementing the Plan -- This section includes the "How-To" Guide to make the Family Chore System actually work.  The Life Skills Checklist (what a child should be able to do at a given age from age 2 through teens that even includes when I should expect mastery of a given task) is remarkable and reassures me that I am not asking too much of my children when I request that they help in our home.  It is OUR home, not just mine -- and requiring works of service from them in order to keep it running smoothly is only fair. 
Part Three:  The Actual Chore System explains exactly what you do to get work started.  It includes printable pages of chores and the directions with how they should be correctly completed.  This part of the book is copy-ready.  I simply printed out the pages, cut them apart and we were ready to begin.  Vicki even left blank cards so that I could add chores that are unique to our family.  {As tempted as I was to just skip right to this portion of the book, I resisted and I am SO GLAD I DID.  The ENTIRE book inspired me to get a grip and make some changes. This OCD mama had let life interfere with what matters most.}
No two families are exactly alike because that would be super boring.  GOD is a creative genius and HIS Plan is perfect.  Some of the chores that Vicki assigns her family aren't needed around here.  For example, she has stairs and I don't -- so the sweeping the stairs chore card was not needed at my house.  That's one of the things that I like MOST about The Everyday Family Chore System -- it is completely customizable for your family's needs.

And here's what I learned about myself -- and my family.   There are some things that we do well.  Our Family Meal Plan works great and the kids actually enjoy preparing and cooking on their given nights.  The Princess enjoys the outside animals more than anyone else so her act of service towards their care (she is solely responsible for their food and water) is perfect.  Other chores are individualized here as well -- and no one seems to mind.  In those cases, they serve one another gladly.  But in order to best prepare my children for the day when they will need to be responsible adults, I am learning to "share the wealth" so to speak.  I realize the importance of everyone here being able to wash clothes and dishes and put them away.  I want to equip them to run a household efficiently no matter where GOD calls them in life.  The Everyday Family Chore System is reminding me what is important and is encouraging me to get that done.  Thanks, Vicki!

The Everyday Family Chore System is available in two different formats.  You can purchase the e-book download for $17.99 or the coil-bound print version for $19.99.  Sample pages are also available for you to look through.  (Click on the word PREVIEW underneath the picture of the book cover.)  It's never too late to implement a family chore system.  We can ALL learn to do a better job and be better stewards of what GOD has given us.




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~Disclaimer:  I was given the opportunity to use and review The Everyday Family Chore System by Everyday Homemaking as a member of the Molly Crew -- a division of the Schoolhouse Review Crew.  The opinions stated are mine and mine alone.  I was not paid to share my thoughts and feelings with you.  I received the en -book in exchange for my honest review.  You can check out the Crew Review and see what other members of the Molly Crew thought of Everyday Homemaking's products.~




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3 comments:

  1. This sounds like a good system, I am thinking about ordering it soon :) Thanks for the detailed review!

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  2. Thanks for the thoughtful and thorough review -- it's so encouraging to hear that it's helping your family! :)

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  3. "Honey not vinegar"- I must remember that (and look up that verse!) The fact that this is customize-able for each family sounds ideal.

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