A few months ago I was debating my priorities  for my morning schedule. I have come to the conclusion that getting ready for the day should happen before breakfast. (All the Type A readers hold your applause; it embarrasses me.) Here is what I discovered:

• I found that having the children get dressed and clean their rooms before breakfast was good for me. Maybe it’s the routine, maybe it’s just pacing the first part of the morning so I don’t rush and skip important things, perhaps getting a good start helps me continue to make right choices. In any case, I feel better with the change.
• Doing chores before breakfast results in a greater likelihood that the chores will actually get done. Getting the teeth brushed before breakfast is better than not brushing them at all (which is what had been happening).
• Checklists work with my four year old, but aren’t exciting to my two year old, probably because she still isn’t as independent as she would like to be. I suspect successful potty training will make a difference. Maybe I just need to be walking her through the checklist. I’ll try that this week.
• The change is easier (better and I think more effective) for my older one. He can do all his chores independently, most of the time, but Bethel still needs help getting dressed, making her bed, and brushing her teeth. Maybe I should have said, the change is easier for my older one than for me.
• Obstacles sometimes interfere with priorities. Sometimes when the baby needs attention, I’ve had to tell the kids to play before we have breakfast. For David that means he’s all ready; for Bethel that means she plays in her pajamas until I can help her. If I’m behind in laundry, the children can’t get dressed (David likes to match, Bethel just likes to have clothes on. We have had both problems. )

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Filed under: Chores, Mealtime