The Food Tax and other ways I enjoy torturing my children

I love my children.

I really do.

I also love a good ol' chore chart and set of rules.

I am certain my children will be happier people because I've forced some responsibility upon them. :)



1st- The Food Tax:

When my children serve their own food, they must eat it all, or they are charged a food tax. I have chart and I mark a tally for every food tax they owe. 50 cents per tally.
(I don't apply this if I am the whose dished them up.)

2nd- Toilet Talk:

This little ditty isn't my own. I got it from a friend. Thanks again Sam. So, when my boys argue I give them a warning first, and the second time I give them a toilet brush. They get to scrub a toilet for their toilet type talk to each other.

3rd- Chore Chart:

I love the chore chart!

We have morning chores: Get ready, Make bed, Read Scriptures.

We have after school chores. These ones have to be done before any SCREEN time, aka- TV, Wii, DS, Computer. But it doesn't have to be done right away. They can have a snack, play, do homework, whatever they want, EXCEPT look at a screen, until their chore is done.

After school chores are things like: Unload/load dishwasher, take out garbage, clean room, sort dirty laundry, etc.

Then we have dinner chores: Set the table, help cook, feed the dog, dishes, etc.

The thing is there are 6 of us in this house. We all eat. We all dirty it up. I cannot be the only person cleaning and taking care of this or I might possibly lose my sanity.

Don't get me wrong. I love being a stay-at-home gal and I could come up with a million different things to do each and every day. But I am not exactly passionate about doing dishes.

I love taking care of my family--as long as I have a little help from them. And it really is good for them.