Spring Cleaning and Pink Hair

After reading a post by my friend Amy, I was inspired to think about chores for my kids. They have always done some chores, but I'm not that great on the follow through and sometimes end up doing what they were supposed to do, just to avoid the struggle. But today, as I was planning some spring cleaning, and I use that term very loosely, I decided that all three could help out with what needed to be done. I spent a little time making some cute chore lists on my computer (because I LOVE lists) and then presented them to the kids before breakfast. They all got one, even my little Hurricane. The deal was this, you do what is on your list and when you are finished, you are free. It seemed pretty simple to me, and it worked well for most of the morning, but by the afternoon, they were tired of the "game" and everything just kind of fell apart. Most everything got done, but not without some some whining on their part and some nagging on my part. I hate nagging.

The bright spot is that they all worked together to clean the chairs, benches and table legs in the dining room. They did a pretty good job of it too. Because I wanted the little one to feel involved, I had him unload the silverware from the dishwasher ... he loved it and I can even count it as school since he played a matching game with the forks and spoons.

And in the end, their Daddy helped them finish up their list while I went to a homeschool meeting last night. Now today, I just have to finish my own list!

Now to the pink hair ... After getting everyone in the bed late last night, I was in my room and my daughter walks in and begins asking me something but before she could finish, I noticed a long pink stripe going across the side of her head. Umm, honey, what have you been playing with? It looks a lot like paint (which, by the way, she doesn't normally play with in her bed). Actually, it was fingernail polish ... you know the really yucky kind that comes in little girl's make-up sets. I never did figure out exactly how she managed to get it in her hair. I am sure that it has something to with the fact that she was using it to paint paper rather than nails. Strange girl, this Dancer of mine.

Oh, and yes, "toy" nail polish comes out with just water! And she has been forbidden to paint paper with nail polish in bed when she is supposed to be trying to go to sleep. I'll have to add this to the list. You know, that list of things that parents never even thought of, much less anticipated having to tell a child "no, you can't ...." So, parents, what is on your list?