A SCHEDULE/CHORE CHART THAT WORKS! EUREKA!

I AM SO EXCITED!! Can ya tell :) ? I have found not only a schedule that works, but a way to limit screen time, and get chores done - ALL ROLLED INTO ONE!! I know this might be a big "so what??" to a lot of you - but as a homeschooler, finding something like this that works for our family is an answer to a prayer (no joking, I really mean that) Okay so here we go: So I tried this chore chart and it didn't work as well as I'd hoped so I've tried several other things since then to get us on a good schedule and get chores done but nothing has worked quite right. And then I found THIS on a blog I just love - Old Fashioned Motherhood and it. is. BRILLIANT! I tried it - not knowing if it would work for our family - but it has! (I came up with the screen time part myself :)

The key (for us) is to not schedule based on time - at least not hour by hour. I broke our days up into 3 (obvious) blocks: MORNING ... AFTERNOON ... EVENING and then I listed all we need to accomplish during those times (some things are specific, some are not) and if we get them all done the kids (and me) get 1 hour of screen time (that includes TV, DVD, Wii Shows, V Smile, Computer, etc) at noon (after "morning" things are done) and at 5 o'clock (after "afternoon" things are done) That's it! My oldest loves to check off the different things with the special marker and I also like to write a little note at the end of the day to the kids and my husband :) It has been working GREAT because we've cut screen time down (I admit, by A LOT) so the kids value their screen time more which helps them be more cooperative :) Cutting screen time has also given us more quality time together as a family ... after all, LOVE is spelled T-I-M-E :)

 I'm linking up to the usual fabulous parties and a new one :)