The Maxwell's Manager of Their....

[jillian]

Are the books they have Managers of Their Homes and Managers of their Chores any good? I hear mostly great things but that they are fairly inflexible. Is that true? Has anyone else used this? Is it worth the money?

 

Eta: I have a hard time sticking to a schedule so I think if I do something highly visible it will help me get on a schedule and help remind me of what needs to get done every day

Edited March 24, 2010 by jillian

[dangermom]

I only have MOTC. I take what I like and leave the rest, but certainly if you followed it completely it's quite inflexible. There's quite a lot of writing about scriptural justification for having your kids do chores, so if you don't feel the need to read a lot of that you might not want it. I do think it's a good planning system and it's worked well for me, so it was worth the money to me. Another thing about it is that it's designed for large families--I only have two kids and so the system is kind of overkill for me.

 

MOTH--well, the only thing I know about it is that you're supposed to break your day into 15-minute segments and schedule them all for every person. I cannot live like that, but I can see where a more relaxed version would be good for some folks.

[Orthodox6]

I bought MOTH some years ago. The approach was brutally rigid, and never would have worked our family. If you can find a copy and browse through it before buying, you easily can tell whether it will blend into your family's needs and styles. There are a LOT of moms who love this book, and who have benefited greatly from the program.

[jillian]

Thanks, both of you guys said what i've been hearing, that it's great for those who can use it but it's one of those either you love it or hate it kinda things kwim? I will try to find a copy first

[hsbaby]

I haven't read wither of these, so no advice there. But, I recently purchased Bootcamp for Lousy Housekeepers on Lulu and LOVE it! You can download it and print off a bunch of the scheduling worksheets. It has tips on creating a binder that breaks chores down into daily chores, monthly chores, etc. Now I just whip out my binder in the morning and follow my to do list. Keeps me organized and I am cleaning things I never even thought about before...haha!

[dangermom]

Ha! I may need to put that on my summer reading list. Unfortunately my problem is not that I don't know how to schedule or what to do--it's getting my butt in gear and DOING it. For the past few weeks I've had an off-track college student come in and help me, and it's been heaven, but I can't afford that for long and she's leaving soon anyway. :(

[OnTheBrink]

I haven't read wither of these, so no advice there. But, I recently purchased Bootcamp for Lousy Housekeepers on Lulu and LOVE it! You can download it and print off a bunch of the scheduling worksheets. It has tips on creating a binder that breaks chores down into daily chores, monthly chores, etc. Now I just whip out my binder in the morning and follow my to do list. Keeps me organized and I am cleaning things I never even thought about before...haha!

 

Is this good for people who are easily overwhelmed by things like Fly Lady?

[ktog29]

MOTH was a great help for our family. I am not an organized person. I do not do well on a schedule. I did not even know how to MAKE a schedule. But I have four little boys and this is our first year homeschooling so I desperately needed a schedule. We followed it to a T for the first 2-3 weeks and then moved to more of a routine based on our original schedule (we do things in the same order every day but don't always finish at the same times, kwim?). For someone like me, I think the book is great! I needed to be walked, step-by-step through the scheduling process. I also appreciated all of the other schedules in the back of the book but that's just because I'm nosy :tongue_smilie: The book also helped me to figure out what my littles would be doing when I was working with my older boys. For me, it was $25 well-spent. If you bought it and didn't like it, I'm sure you could resell it. HTH.

 

MOTC was...eh...ok.

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

I bought MOTH way back when it first came out. I LOVE the process. I HATE the rigid schedule.

 

At least once per year, I'll go through the MOTH process of scheduling. And, I'll type up a schedule broken down into hourly segments (not 15 minute segments!!!). I can then use that basic schedule as a checklist for our day.

 

There have been MANY days when life has become simply chaos and having a schedule on the frig has helped get things back under control.

 

So, do I use MOTH? yes.

Do I follow a schedule? no.

 

Clear as mud? probably. :D

[hsbaby]

I think so!! I have tried, and failed, several times to follow Fly Lady. This is so straightforward. I actually prefer the downloaded version of the book so I can just print off the worksheets....no scanning or copying. I love that it breaks it all down for you. For example, Monday is Kitchen Day so you have your list of kitchen chores including stuff like cleaning out one cabinet, reorganizing, wiping it out, wiping top of fridge..stuff like that. Then you have your page of daily chores and a page of monthly chores. Once you do all the work making your binder it's just open and go! I know I sound like an infomercial but it really has helped me organize my house and keep it clean:)

 

 

ETZ; I am talking about the bootcamp book, like I said I haven't read MOTH or MOTC (although i'd like to at some point!)

[jillian]

I think so!! I have tried, and failed, several times to follow Fly Lady. This is so straightforward. I actually prefer the downloaded version of the book so I can just print off the worksheets....no scanning or copying. I love that it breaks it all down for you. For example, Monday is Kitchen Day so you have your list of kitchen chores including stuff like cleaning out one cabinet, reorganizing, wiping it out, wiping top of fridge..stuff like that. Then you have your page of daily chores and a page of monthly chores. Once you do all the work making your binder it's just open and go! I know I sound like an infomercial but it really has helped me organize my house and keep it clean:)

 

 

ETZ; I am talking about the bootcamp book, like I said I haven't read MOTH or MOTC (although i'd like to at some point!)

that sounds a lot like FlyLady.

[OnTheBrink]

I think so!! I have tried, and failed, several times to follow Fly Lady. This is so straightforward. I actually prefer the downloaded version of the book so I can just print off the worksheets....no scanning or copying. I love that it breaks it all down for you. For example, Monday is Kitchen Day so you have your list of kitchen chores including stuff like cleaning out one cabinet, reorganizing, wiping it out, wiping top of fridge..stuff like that. Then you have your page of daily chores and a page of monthly chores. Once you do all the work making your binder it's just open and go! I know I sound like an infomercial but it really has helped me organize my house and keep it clean:)

 

 

ETZ; I am talking about the bootcamp book, like I said I haven't read MOTH or MOTC (although i'd like to at some point!)

 

What I hated about Fly Lady was the teeny tiny steps. Make a page. Write this sentence. Wait till tomorrow to find out what to do next! UGH. It was all just too much.

 

How would this boot camp compare with Motivated Moms?

[JenniferB]

I use a MOTH type schedule for our school day, but not for the rest of the day. I don't like to schedule my time too rigidly, or else I feel like there's a tight grip around my neck.

 

I've attached what our school-day MOTH schedule looks like. I've been sharing this with several people, because it works so well. I use sticky notes, so that we can re-arrange them each day. We have a morning meeting to decide who does what when. We rotate who gets to go first to pick their spots.

 

The book tells you how to make up this type of schedule, but you could probably figure out how to do it just by looking at one. You don't really need the book, unless you want to read specifically about the whys and hows of scheduling.

[hsbaby]

that sounds a lot like FlyLady.

 

Oh, maybe it is. It's been a long time since I have done Fly Lady. I just remember being frustrated at all of the little baby steps...put your shoes on, shine your sink. Oh, and all the emails...ugh:glare: Maybe I never got far enough into it to appreciate it:) I just wanted something this laid out an overall schedule so that I wouldn't wander around the house everyday knowing there was SO much to do, yet just not knowing where to even begin. Now I just open up my little binder, look at my to do list, and get it done.

[Guest Puritanmama]

What I hated about Fly Lady was the teeny tiny steps. Make a page. Write this sentence. Wait till tomorrow to find out what to do next! UGH. It was all just too much.

 

How would this boot camp compare with Motivated Moms?

 

Here's a blog post that answers this very question...enjoy!

 

http://bootcampforlousyhousekeepers.blogspot.com/2010/04/compare-and-contrast-guest-post.html

[Mergath]

I've been looking for a book sort of like this. Just out of curiosity, how overt is the "Christian" part of it? I have nothing against books that have themes of different faith systems, but if the whole book is like, "And god said, thou shalt vacuum at 3:15," I probably wouldn't find it very helpful.

[cathmom]

Just to clarify, in MOTH, things are usually scheduled for 30 minutes. The books are very Christian (but I don't think I ever saw that God said to vacuum at 3:15 :lol:).

[dangermom]

 

I've been looking for a book sort of like this. Just out of curiosity, how overt is the "Christian" part of it?

MOTChores spends several chapters discussing the importance of chores and child training, and puts a lot of effort into scriptural justification for the ideas. They're good principles, so you can skip those bits if you like and just read for the ideas.

[Mergath]

Hmph. I tried to get into their forums, just to see more about what their philosophy is all about, but apparently you have to mail in the last page of the book to get access.

 

I mean, really? Mail? I don't remember the last time I actually mailed something. I didn't realize people still did that. They might want to update their methods a bit. ;)

[....]

but if the whole book is like, "And god said, thou shalt vacuum at 3:15," I probably wouldn't find it very helpful.

 

:lol: LOL!

 

I prefer the passage where Jesus goes over to someone's house and the lady's cleaning and Jesus tells her to stop because it's just not that important right now. :D 'Twould be my favorite passage.

 

Seriously, though...is MOTH sold anywhere else besides their website?

[patchfire]

I LOVE the process. I HATE the rigid schedule.

 

:iagree: Going through the process of scheduling was extremely helpful for me. We followed the schedule for a short amount of time. The "principles" of scheduling plus the general gist of it, though, we're still using. I'm not even contemplating doing the process for next year, but the schedule/routine we'll have is definitely informed by it.

 

I've been looking for a book sort of like this. Just out of curiosity, how overt is the "Christian" part of it? I have nothing against books that have themes of different faith systems, but if the whole book is like, "And god said, thou shalt vacuum at 3:15," I probably wouldn't find it very helpful.

 

It's... very Christian. If you're able to read things and think "How Absurd!" and move on, you'll be able to use it. If you have to stop and argue with things like "Never schedule your husband, because it's overstepping your bounds" (I'm paraphrasing as I remember it), then you won't be able to use it.

[LivingHope]

Thank you for recommending Bootcamp for Lousy Housekeepers. I have read it this week and can see the light. As a mama with seven children (the seventh just six weeks old), I really need our home back in order. This book organizes daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal tasks clearly. I will be implementing the straight forward plan (with its daily blocks and daily focus) on Monday. Again...thanks.

 

Janell

[ThatCyndiGirl]

I've been looking for a book sort of like this. Just out of curiosity, how overt is the "Christian" part of it? I have nothing against books that have themes of different faith systems, but if the whole book is like, "And god said, thou shalt vacuum at 3:15," I probably wouldn't find it very helpful.

 

 

It is EXTREMELY religious, irritatingly so. It's like the author cannot have a thought that is not wrapped in bible verses. :glare:

 

If you enjoy micro-managing not only YOUR day, but your children's days as well, then this is the book for you.

 

If you take a more organic approach to scheduling then steer clear.

[lionfamily1999]

Never mind. What I meant to say was, "my uncle is a jerk" and instead I got all huffy over something that wasn't worth being huffy over. Huffy moment is at a finish. My apologies.

Edited May 16, 2010 by lionfamily1999

[ThatCyndiGirl]

I'd have thought the web site would've made their religious stance clear. By all means, 'absurd' and 'irritating' away. Why, though, would you buy something if you thought the basis of it was 'absurd' or 'irritating?'

 

 

I don't know if that was directed at me or not, but....

 

I didn't buy the book. I looked at a friend's book. She was selling it and I borrowed it to see if I wanted to buy it. I perused it thoroughly and declined to purchase. I had not looked at their website. After looking at the book I wasn't interested in the website.

[lionfamily1999]

:blush:

Edited May 16, 2010 by lionfamily1999

[silliness7]

I use a MOTH type schedule for our school day, but not for the rest of the day. I don't like to schedule my time too rigidly, or else I feel like there's a tight grip around my neck.

 

I've attached what our school-day MOTH schedule looks like. I've been sharing this with several people, because it works so well. I use sticky notes, so that we can re-arrange them each day. We have a morning meeting to decide who does what when. We rotate who gets to go first to pick their spots.

 

The book tells you how to make up this type of schedule, but you could probably figure out how to do it just by looking at one. You don't really need the book, unless you want to read specifically about the whys and hows of scheduling.

 

I have a chart exactly like yours on my wall. It helps me manage everyone's school schedule. I read MOH many many years ago, but I just put together my sticky note schedule this past fall. Did I learn that from MOH? I think I read about ideas and they just simmer in my brain til the necessary moment. :001_smile:

[ThatCyndiGirl]

Lionfamily, I can understand your feeling. FTR, I didn't find her religion irritating. I found her overwhelming reliance on both religion and subservience to her husband irritating. It felt like she could not have a thought of her own that was not due to her husband or the bible. It led me to feel sorry for her, honestly.

 

 

I don't have a problem with authors referencing the bible. I DO have problems with ANY subject where the author feels the need to constantly make everything a "values lesson" that ends up feeling so contrived.

[lionfamily1999]

Lionfamily, I can understand your feeling. FTR, I didn't find her religion irritating. I found her overwhelming reliance on both religion and subservience to her husband irritating. It felt like she could not have a thought of her own that was not due to her husband or the bible. It led me to feel sorry for her, honestly.

 

 

I don't have a problem with authors referencing the bible. I DO have problems with ANY subject where the author feels the need to constantly make everything a "values lesson" that ends up feeling so contrived.

I said I was sorry :(

[ThatCyndiGirl]

Lionfamily,nothing to be sorry about. I thought you were expressing your thoughts and I was, too.

 

I am sorry as well if I offended you.

:grouphug:

[lionfamily1999]

Lionfamily,nothing to be sorry about. I thought you were expressing your thoughts and I was, too.

 

I am sorry as well if I offended you.

:grouphug:

Well then, it's all good isn't it :D