Good Moments

I had a happy moment of peace and contentment today after I got back from taking Owen to trumpet. We pulled down the street, and I saw Corey riding his bike outside with Katharine riding shotgun. 

The sky was such a clear and lovely blue, the snow capped mountains looked beautiful, the trees were in bloom, and as I walked up the street to watch them, a gentle breeze sent the lovely smells of cherry blossoms my way that made me pause and catch my breath and soak up the moment. I felt grateful. I think smelling scents helps capture moments in time. I got my bike out and I followed Peter around the neighborhood. Cute boy - 

He is doing great riding his bike!

It's been a good day. I did a good job cleaning today, most of it by myself. There is so much to do, but I didn't get overwhelmed yet, and I hope I don't. I do probably need to figure out how to get the kids to help me somehow.  I sometimes get weary of asking and instructing over and over again when they know what to do already... Do they know? I think I've been clear, yet I still find everyone's shoes on the floor, with coats and back packs just thrown down as soon as they walk in the door. Today I grabbed a scrap of paper and wrote a few things on there but didn't assign them. 

Some things everyone does: Put away your shoes & practice music. Then I made a list of chores and decided they could choose the one they do, first come first serve. I taped the paper right by the stairs where I knew it would be seen. After school, I was gone with Owen at trumpet and soccer, and when Daniel was asking his older sisters if he could go play with friends, Natalie (my best little mother helper) made sure that he did his chores first. I didn't nag, I didn't even point out the list, and Natalie is the one that saw it and did it. I was grateful that she had Daniel do it too. I want to reward them somehow. When we were back from trumpet and I saw Natalie and Daniel had checked it off, it made me happy. They are good kids, I have hope. What is a good system for rewards though? or motivation? I don't like rewarding with candy, and of all the different things I've tried over the years, some make me exhausted (like the checklist party reward - that's ending, I just didn't feel like I was getting my share of that bargain - like the party was too much for not enough work... I want the kids to develop habits and keep them up - is that an unrealistic expectation?) Hmm... I don't want to buy candy and junk toys for the kids to earn when we have too much of that crap already (I did that before with the "Mom's store)... and I don't want to buy nice toys either (legos) cause they are too expensive so the reward is too delayed... What to do as an incentive... I am thinking about that. Anyway, I'm really proud of Natalie. Perhaps, even if it's just me and one motivated kid that clean around here, that might be enough for a while as I start building momentum? That you Natalie, and Daniel, for noticing this list and doing it! Tonight at scriptures, I made all the kids say "We are a clean family." We can do this.