Getting Going in the Morning

[MrsWeasley]

My kids used to get their chores and breakfast done and cleaned up in an hour. Slowly, it's started to drag to over three hours. The amount or type of chores hasn't changed. The amount of just wandering off and sibling bickering has skyrocketed. Other than micromanaging the entire time (which is time I normally spend getting dressed, doing my own chores, and making breakfast), any ideas of how to get this more manageable again? I am so frustrated!

Edited March 16, 2016 by MrsWeasley

[JumpyTheFrog]

Work expands to the time alloted.

[myfunnybunch]

When this started happening in my house, I started getting the boys out of bed a little earlier, and we started a morning gathering before starting school. I did not ever say anything explicitly about the relation between waking earlier and morning routine other than a general one-time, "I think we need a little more time in the morning."

 

Once they got their morning routine back within a reasonable time frame, I started waking them at the usual time.

 

We all enjoy the morning gathering, so it has become an incentive to stay on task. Actually, I've been working some mornings, so haven't had time to do it every morning, and I miss it! We usually do some kind of short brain warm-up together, a puzzle or a poem or a short game. Sometimes the boys make a cup of tea and we drink coffee and tea together.

Edited March 16, 2016 by myfunnybunch

[Critterfixer]

I'd probably come up with some incentives for finishing well and on time. Would there be room for each child to enjoy some time by themselves or with you if they finished early? Getting chores done quickly in the morning around here results in whatever time is left before 9 to read, play outside, write, draw, or play inside. No electronics (because we don't have any, and audio books are best enjoyed in the evenings) but anything else is fair game. I tend to keep morning chores limited to around 30 minutes; one hour is just too long for me to focus before the caffeine kicks in. Evening chores will go an hour easily.

 

Bickering could be reduced by making sure that each child knows who is doing what each day. Then there won't be any question of who clears the table, who brings the laundry, who wipes down the table or helps fold the clothes or whatever the task is. It saves you time and temper, too. Any questions?Check the chart. No trading until the chart has been followed religiously for 30 days. Then things are open for negotiation. It helps to do the same task over and over again to become efficient and fast at it. No cross-training until the chore is more or less mastered. It also tends to help if these chores are agreed upon between you and the child doing them, but you have probably already done that.

 

I would anticipate the need to manage the youngest children for some time even with routine chores. The managing isn't to make sure they do the chore properly (because they probably won't every day!) but to make sure you heap praise where and when praise is due. I often find that when I have resistance to doing a chore that has always been done faithfully and well, the resistance is often due to the child not receiving enough appreciation from me for what he does. And I think it sets a good example of being thankful for the small, everyday things that we do to help each other in life.

 

 

[Tammyla]

:iagree: Make everything clear and simple and find some reward / payoff for completing the work in a positive and timely manner; never underestimate the power of eyes in the back of your head :lol: .    You might also have clear rules on what happens if things are not done well.  And remember we all get tired of the same old chores day in and day out.   :grouphug:

[Chris in VA]

Agreeing with Tammy that they sound bored.

 

Could you change up the routine?

 

Maybe get up early, shower, dress yourself, make breakfast, THEN get them out of bed to eat, then set the timer for 15 mins and tell them they need to make beds, brush teeth and dress and meet you back in the schoolroom by the time it goes off.

Do 2 subjects of school, then take a break and oversee the chores that they would normally do before school started.

Do a bit more school, then give a break of 20 mins to do whatever they want. Set the timer.

Meet back when it goes off, finish with something fun before lunch--a review game, a read aloud, etc. Or just finish something light.

 

Eat lunch, giving a whole hour.

 

Finish school after lunch.

 

Break

 

15 mins of chores before dinner, including anything they do to help (set table, empty dishwasher, etc.).

 

Dinner, preparation for the next day, relax and family time.

 

Go from there.

[EndOfOrdinary]

Timers? My son's idea of a half hour of piano practice was vastly different than mine. In an opposite way, his idea of a half hour shower was vastly longer than my half hour shower. A timer evened things out quite quickly.

 

Could you turn things into some sort of competition? They can get their sibbling angst out this way rather than the inevitable bickering which happens once things begin to drag on a bit longer than they should.

 

Would you getting breakfast ready at the usual time and they having to eat it cold help? Cold oatmeal was definitely a big incentive for me as a child (yuck!)