The "Post its" are Back

Why does it seem that every morning, it seems to come as a surprise to my children that they have a job to do, the same job they have had to do for the past year? Why must they be asked 10 times at least to get it done? This seems to be the theme every morning this month. Contrary to what my children may think, I do actually hate to yell at them, and think it quite unfair that I am pushed to this point to simply get some work done. Therefore, the "Post it " system is back! This system was a little brain child of mine a year or so ago that revolutionized the way the morning ritual went in my house. We seemed to forget it so they will remember beginning tomorrow morning. Here's how it goes:

I no longer have to ask them to get the work done. They know what their jobs are and know that they must be completed before they go to school. If, by chance they do forget this very simple thing, when they return home from school, there will be a post it on the counter with their name and a harder job that must be completed before any food or privilege is to be received. That is in addition to whatever job they missed in the morning. I told them that I hope they forget their morning job because I have a really big job I need done in the afternoon that would really help me out. Well, it took only two days for them to figure out that doing the morning job was a lot easier. I didn't have to yell or even say one word. It worked like a charm, at least for a good year. We seemed to forget this game so they will remember tomorrow. Try it out! Our job is to teach our children responsibility, not to teach them to respond only when we get mad. We need to teach them that they work because they are part of a family not because they get money. We have to teach them that in the real world, Mom will not be there to tell them daily to get the work done! If they don't, they will loose jobs, fail classes and loose friends. That is life.