Summer System

Well we are one week into summer. I have put the girls on a system that seems to be working pretty well. I told them that in the morning they need to get up and get dressed in order to have breakfast and after that they have about five things they need to get done. I gave them a paper that has 5 charts on it (Monday-Friday). I told them that each chart had the things I wanted them to do for the day. They can do their jobs in any order and when they want, but (there is always a but :), they can not play or have friends over until all their jobs are done. When they do get their jobs done they bring me their chart and I check it off and give them their morning snack. At the end of the week they turn in their paper for a treat and family activity. (this is replacing our money system for the summer).
These are their jobs on their charts:
*get dressed, make bed, clean room
*Chore (they have a room in the house they have to clean for the month)
*Read (20-30minutes, depending on the child)
*Workbook pages
*Piano practice (for Emalee)
*Computer Program (we are doing a research program for Waterford Research for 15min a day)

That's it! Nothing to complicated or too drawn out. The idea is to keep them busy in the mornings so that they are constructive and don't have as much time to get on each others nerves!

This last week actually went really well. Emalee got up one morning and had all her stuff done by 8:30 am. I like it because it teaches them accountability and responsibility while keeping the house clean and keeping up their academics. They have had a ton of time to play and to my surprise did not even ask for friends to come play until Friday (instead they played with each other.) I am not saying I do not have to get after them at times and we have not had peaceful bliss all week around here but for the most part the system seems to be working.

Also, Wednesdays are our library days. We go for a program and then they turn in their reading time for prizes. In two weeks we will also start Movie Days at the Spanish Fork Theater. (They show a free Disney movie each week for the summer.)

Hope everyone else is off to a good start. Pass along any other good ideas or what is working for you. I would love to hear about them.