Day 18 The Perfect Mom Project

As I sit here this morning I hear the voices of my girls flowing down the stairs. They do not sound like they are getting along, so I think I will cower here for a little while. They are both at an interesting age...THE TEEN YEARS. There are days that they will argue about the stupidest things. This morning I think it is about a comb.

Last night I asked them to take care of their chore of emptying the trash cans upstairs and taking it outside (This is a once a week task, and I always have to remind them to do it). They split up the rooms and emptied the cans. I had been downstairs for some reason and when I came up, there was the kitchen trash can full of all the trash just sitting in the middle of the kitchen. HHHMMMN? So I asked "Um, can someone please take care of the trash?", and their response was "we did". We then got into a discussion about the trash needing to go outside, just like every other week. Seriously, how old are you people?

My youngest Avery decided to take out the trash, but then she came in and balked at my request that she put a fresh trash bag in the can. She felt she had done her share and that Aly should do that part. Oh, for peat's sake! A simple task that seems to cause so much trouble. Sometimes, I wonder if they cook this stuff up so that I become disgusted and do it myself. The thing is I am on to them, I know what they are up to and I will not give in.

I stumbled on the show "Supernanny" the other day and watched as she showed the family a point system that would include rewards at various plateaus. I am seriously thinking about trying that on these two. Perhaps it would at least be more motivating and chores would get done with enthusiasm. I am sure that you are chuckling to yourself as you read this, thinking I am a fool, but any port in a storm! My biggest problem with things like this reward system is actually remembering and sticking with it.

I think my chart will have things on it like, 3 points if you do something without arguing, 2 points if you do the trash without being reminded. I will probably give 15 or 20 points if they don't argue all day (I know, good luck with that one!). First, I will have to remember to make the chart and then I will have to remember to actually use it. I don't know, maybe I will think about this a little more, I am not sure I want to work that hard.

Over all they are great kids, its just that I would like a little less feedback when I ask them to do things around the house. Jeez, you would think sometimes that I asked them to run out in front of a car. I am going to mull over this whole chart idea, the crazy thing just might work, but what I really need to work are my kids! Here goes another day in the mothering jungle, wish me luck!