Are you doing it all or delegating tasks to your kids?
If you are doing it all, you are spending the equivalent of a full day’s paid work each week getting them ready and off to school. Seriously, I read this in this article and there is a study to prove it.
While I know there are some things we just can’t delegate like signing permission slip, there are other things we can!
Teach your kids to make their own breakfast. Courtney started making her breakfast in 4th grade (if not before) and also makes Caroline’s now! I remember making my breakfast when I was her age too!
Have your kids help or completely pack their own lunch. Caroline started helping with her lunch a few years ago in preschool and even helps with prepping fruit each week! Courtney has been packing her own lunch for a few years now.
Pick out clothes at the beginning of the week, for the whole week! Caroline has a divider in her closet for 5 days of clothes. We look at the forecast for the week and she helps pick out clothes for each day on Sunday. Then each morning she wakes up and puts on her clothes, by herself!
Have your kids put away their own dishes and even learn to start the dishwasher. Oh and they can also empty the dishwasher too! Caroline puts away the silverware and Courtney puts away the dishes and glasses.
Teaching and delegating tasks has given me a portion of my morning back, but it’s not perfect. I am still tired from nagging to fill water bottles, put away dishes and get shoes, jackets and gloves on so no one is late or misses the bus. Yet notice my wording...I am instructing them on what they need to do, not always doing it for them.
Yes there are some days that I have to jump in a fill the water bottle or tie the shoes to make sure they are out the door in time, but that's not everyday!
I believe our job as parents is to teach our kids to be independent, not do everything for them!
I believe I’ll have my mornings completely back to myself at some point, but then I'll have to figure out how to train the dog to let herself in and out and to lock the crate.
If you are doing it all, you are spending the equivalent of a full day’s paid work each week getting them ready and off to school. Seriously, I read this in this article and there is a study to prove it.
While I know there are some things we just can’t delegate like signing permission slip, there are other things we can!
Teach your kids to make their own breakfast. Courtney started making her breakfast in 4th grade (if not before) and also makes Caroline’s now! I remember making my breakfast when I was her age too!
Have your kids help or completely pack their own lunch. Caroline started helping with her lunch a few years ago in preschool and even helps with prepping fruit each week! Courtney has been packing her own lunch for a few years now.
Pick out clothes at the beginning of the week, for the whole week! Caroline has a divider in her closet for 5 days of clothes. We look at the forecast for the week and she helps pick out clothes for each day on Sunday. Then each morning she wakes up and puts on her clothes, by herself!
Have your kids put away their own dishes and even learn to start the dishwasher. Oh and they can also empty the dishwasher too! Caroline puts away the silverware and Courtney puts away the dishes and glasses.
Teaching and delegating tasks has given me a portion of my morning back, but it’s not perfect. I am still tired from nagging to fill water bottles, put away dishes and get shoes, jackets and gloves on so no one is late or misses the bus. Yet notice my wording...I am instructing them on what they need to do, not always doing it for them.
Yes there are some days that I have to jump in a fill the water bottle or tie the shoes to make sure they are out the door in time, but that's not everyday!
I believe our job as parents is to teach our kids to be independent, not do everything for them!
I believe I’ll have my mornings completely back to myself at some point, but then I'll have to figure out how to train the dog to let herself in and out and to lock the crate.
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