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humanaevitae
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| Posted: Jan 04 2006 at 1:51am | IP Logged
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Does anyone else notice their housekeeping efforts move in cycles?
I somehow get inspired and attack the house with a smile on my face. The next day, the smile slips a little as I'm trying so hard but I'm actually not gaining. The 3rd day I'm getting "testy" and start yelling at the kids as someone left the bathroom door opened and the baby got into the toilet again leaving wet clumps of toilet paper all over the floor and he needs a bath and another outfit. On the fourth day I've given up. It is no use as it boils down to the fact that a child can mess something up in 1 minute that will take me 30 minutes to fix. I have feelings of anger, despair,hopelessness, and insanity (mmmmm...maybe if I tied them up...)
AFter a day of moping I start basic cleanup again but with no eagerness or enthusiasm. We trudge along until:
1. I erupt in anger at the pig hole we live in
2. You kind ladies inspire me with your gentleness and wisdom
3. Someone is coming over
Thus begins again my housekeeping cyle!
Nicole
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tracym
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| Posted: Jan 04 2006 at 7:06pm | IP Logged
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This is a neverending struggle for me also. One of the things i am doing is getting rid of stuff! I hope that will help with some of the clutter. Also as flylady says -baby steps. I am trying not to get discouraged so quickly. I used to not want to do housework and that is not how I feel now but I get so overwhelmed. I am hoping to make small progress. I also just got the book A Mother's Rule of Life and I can't wait to read it.
I have noticed the cycle thing but I am getting better about it. We just had a party for my kids this weekend-crisis clean, nice and clean and now slowly get back to "normal" clutter. But today I got the kitchen looking nice and at dinner food was all over the floor but I took 5 minutes and it looks nice again. Usually I say oh man and tend to let it go and go! i THINK IF i GET ON THE BALL MORE QUICKLY AND NOT LET IT BUILD UP IT WON'T BE BAD-oops sorry about the caps!
Anyways this topic speaks to me at the moment so there is my input.
Tracy M. mom to ds Allen(8), dd Laura(6), ds Joey(4) and Anthony 10 months
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Sarah
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| Posted: Jan 05 2006 at 12:08pm | IP Logged
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jenngm67 wrote:
9 in my opinion is old enough to be helping out. |
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Jenn, I agree totally and actually I feel like I have child labor going on here  . Ds9 & ds7 unload the dishwasher, make the beds, vacuum the entry way, care for the dog, drop the laundry down the chute, wash the table, sweep the kitchen, and carry up laundry bags.
I guess what I meant was that I didn't want to always be using them to clean up/ pick up after the little ones. I feel like they shouldn't always be the ones to "fix" the burden of the messy house.
I love evryone's suggestions and I plan on trying to declutter and use scheduled times each day to bring back order. It was nice, too, to see that others felt the same sometimes.
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Six boys ages 16, 14, 11, 7, 5, 2 and one girl age 9
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Sarah
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| Posted: Jan 05 2006 at 12:09pm | IP Logged
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humanaevitae wrote:
Does anyone else notice their housekeeping efforts move in cycles? . . .
AFter a day of moping I start basic cleanup again but with no eagerness or enthusiasm. We trudge along until:
1. I erupt in anger at the pig hole we live in
2. You kind ladies inspire me with your gentleness and wisdom
3. Someone is coming over
Thus begins again my housekeeping cyle!
Nicole |
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I laughed at this because it is just what I do.
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Six boys ages 16, 14, 11, 7, 5, 2 and one girl age 9
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kingvozzo
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| Posted: July 24 2006 at 11:56pm | IP Logged
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marychris wrote:
We set up our Peg System yesterday. We will see how it works.
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I'm reviving this thread, wondering how this system has worked out for MaryChris.
Has anyone else tried it?
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Noreen
Wife to Ed
Mom to 4 great kids and 10 sweet ones in Our Lady's arms
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Molly Smith
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| Posted: July 25 2006 at 4:37am | IP Logged
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I'm glad you revived this, Noreen, because chores have been on my mind all night. We don't have a formal peg system or formal written out chores at all. Basically, the way it works here is, I get the ball rolling and start delegating. Whoever is closest is the one who sets the table, makes drinks for everyone, serves, wipes the table, sweeps the floor, helps with the dishwasher, bathrooms, vacuuming, etc.... The 3 big kids are responsible for their own laundry, and everyone is responsible for tidying their own rooms.
It seems to work, but I do wonder if the children would be better off with something more formal. My obstacle is this: if some combination of them are playing nicely somewhere else, and just one is with me and it's not his/her chore to help me with readying for dinner, I hate to call the assigned child in/down when a helper is good and ready right here. Does that make any sense? (Sorry, it's early  ).
I'd love to hear from folks who have done both, or tried this and learned the hard way. BTW, my children are 10, 8, 6, 4 and almost-2. The 2yo loves our little electric sweeper and runs that battery down every day. He doesn't purposely hit any exact spot , but I empty that collector tray a few times a day!!
Thanks again, Noreen, for bringing it up. I've been working on my spreadsheet for our "flexibly structured" school day and was just about ready to start on the housework schedule.
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Molly Smith in VA
Mom to seven beautiful children, ages 1-14
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Christine
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| Posted: July 25 2006 at 6:08am | IP Logged
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Molly, you pretty much described how we clean at our house. I have been debating implementing formal chores most of the summer.
Molly Smith wrote:
The 2yo loves our little electric sweeper and runs that battery down every day. He doesn't purposely hit any exact spot , but I empty that collector tray a few times a day!!
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Where did you find the electric sweeper? Our one year old is obsessed with our real vacuum cleaner. "Vacuum" is one of the first words that he says in the morning and he often falls asleep holding a vacuum tool. He is scared of the vacuum when it is on, but loves it when it is turned off. He finds places that need vacuuming and pretends to clean them, but my husband really doesn't like him rolling the vacuum cleaner around (actually, I don't either). Last night, I hid the vacuum (it's getting that bad).
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Christine
Mommy to 4 girls, 5 boys, & 2 in God's care
Memories of a Catholic Wife and Mother
Pretty Lilla Rose
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Sarah
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| Posted: July 25 2006 at 2:44pm | IP Logged
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Maybe try a new topic called "pegs" and link it to this thread. . .maybe people will respond about pegs.
I bought the pegboard and never used it. I'd like to know how it works for people, too.
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Six boys ages 16, 14, 11, 7, 5, 2 and one girl age 9
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teachingmyown
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| Posted: July 25 2006 at 6:40pm | IP Logged
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I have the pegs system too. I bought it over a year ago and am just now trying to set it up! 
I can't seem to find the time, or brainpower, to think it all through.
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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Mary Chris
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I gave my pegboard to a friend. It just did not work for us. Part of the problem was I could not find a good spot to hang it up, so all the circles would fall off.
Usually when there are jobs to be done I just hand then out. My ds8 has the nickname Duck, because he is usaully the one around and he says yes.
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Blessings, Mary Chris Beardsley
mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
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Elizabeth
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| Posted: July 26 2006 at 4:44am | IP Logged
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Mary Chris gave her pegs to me, which meant I had my large set and her small set. This is working much better because I can detail it. I'm in the process of keying the PEGS discs to the Motivated Moms list. For the last four weeks, I've been using MM, tweaking it just for us, assigning certain tasks to certin chldren. Now that we're in the habit, I'm ready to make a go of it using PEGS.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Molly Smith
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| Posted: July 26 2006 at 4:55am | IP Logged
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Christine wrote:
| Where did you find the electric sweeper? Our one year old is obsessed with our real vacuum cleaner....Last night, I hid the vacuum (it's getting that bad). |
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Here it is: it's a Swivel Sweeper. I do have to hide it sometimes, too ! The upside is that the main level is constantly being vacuumed, and that has to be worth the cost of the machine!! (By the way, you don't have to buy it online, I think my dh found it at Lowe's, so chances are that Home Depot or Target may have it as well.)
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Molly Smith in VA
Mom to seven beautiful children, ages 1-14
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Topic: Steps toward order
