Surviving Summer

I know there is still a lot of summer to go but so far it is better than I expected. This is the first year that I haven't sent my kids to a summer program through parks & rec and I was seriously wondering how I was going to maintain my sanity having all the kids home all day, everyday. My saving grace has been implementing a program called Accountable Kids that I ran across from a friends blog. Basically it is a system that keeps the kids on track throughout the day with chores and other basic responsibilities such as getting dressed and eating breakfast. They in turn earn tickets for completing their jobs and use those tickets to enjoy privileges such as watching TV, choosing a DVD, going to a friends, whatever they want to do. They also lose tickets for unacceptable behavior. I have never been one big on chore charts, I just expect the kids to do what I ask them to do but that really hasn't ever worked very good so I end up frustrated that I'm the only one trying to take care of the house being destroyed by 7 other very capable people. Plus, the kids weren't really learning any true responsibility from it. Now they have morning, lunchtime, and evening jobs that really only take about 15 minutes to complete and the house is staying clean and manageable (except on Sundays when it always seems to fall apart!) and I'm not yelling and fighting with the kids to get things done. The kids are realizing that it takes a little work to earn privileges, it's not just a freebie anymore. The whole system has been way easier than I thought to implement and the kids actually seem to be enjoying it. If you want to check out more about it the website is accountablekids.com. It was a little bit of an investment to get started but it has been completely worth it. Other than that we are just enjoying a typical lazy summer. We are looking forward to going to the circus in a few weeks and also celebrating Logan's 6th birthday. We may try to escape to the beach over the 4th but are still thinking about that one. The idea of going somewhere is always great but the logistics of finding a hotel that can accommodate us, and packing and planning and feeding everyone, ugh it almost doesn't seem worth it but somehow we do it and actually end up having a little fun! (until we have to pack up, come home, unpack, and do the laundry!) I think mom's need a vacation after the vacation!