For the last 3 weeks our family has been on track break. In an effort to keep our time somewhat organized, we used our first Family Home Evening night of track break updating a new chore chart. This chore chart is nice because it is laminated and I can peel off the stickers and wipe of the marker and revise it as necessary.
I gave each girl a specific chore to do in our living area. Annie got the family room. Sabrina got the breakfast area. Lauren empties the dishwasher. We also had a family chore that I chose each day. Those were chores like sorting the clothes or pruning the yard.
One other chore I started was the "Pick-a- Chore." This idea came from a friend of mine Erin Cranor. She has 4 kids all spaced the same as mine but her youngest is the age of my oldest. She has been a good "example mom" to me in many ways.
She told me that she had her kids do a chore everyday that they just saw needed to be done and they did it. She didn't tell them which chore to do. They had to find a chore on their own that they could see needed to be done and then they just did it. She told me she was using this as a way to teach her children that in life you shouldn't have to wait to be told to do things. If you see a need and you can fill it you should.
I loved this concept. So I explained it to my kids and added it to the chore chart that night for FHE. The next morning I was reading the scriptures to my kids as they were working on their chores. We are currently reading a Church History for Families book that pulls out quotes from the Doctrine and Covenants (a book of revelations given to Joseph Smith from the Lord) and incorporates them with information on the events surrounding the revelation.
Sabrina was trying to pick her "pick a chore" and kept choosing things that really didn't need cleaning. She just wasn't understanding the concept. Then in my reading I came to the following verses: D&C 58: 26-28 "For behold it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward."
I read that to the kids and we stopped and discussed. I just LOVE those moments in motherhood when you know the Lord is helping you teach your children. It is like the whole plan comes together so nicely. Here we had just had that discussion and Sabrina was just struggling with the concept and I was able to say "hey, this is what we are trying to learn by doing the pick a chore. Heavenly Father wants us to do good things without having to be told to do them. If we do this we will be rewarded. If we have to be told everything we should do we will not be rewarded."
These moments don't happen often but they are the highlight of my mothering career when they do. Thank you to Him who watches over us all. I just LOVE it when His plans come together - especially when I get to play any small part in them.
