I have other ideas that I may add here as well, such as our theme for the week, field trips, upcoming changes, etc.

I was hoping to have a summer schedule posted and ready before the school year ended, but that didn’t happen. Then I told myself it’s good to have a few days “off” before implementing the new schedule. Sure, that sounds good. Wednesday night I posted our new schedule, most of the way completed. Thursday was an “off” day because we had a WW meeting and tons of errands and car troubles. The kids both looked at the schedule, whined about their Thursday chores, and that was about it. I spent the day mentally debating about how and when I should start following it (I keep thinking “enforcing it” but that sounds a little too intense for summer vacation!) and then I began wondering if we really need one at all. I like the idea of chores but I’m just not motivated to enforce them and I’m still unsure what to do when the kids flat out refuse. I don’t want to fight or punish and we don’t (yet) have a motivator, such as an allowance or reward. That may come, or it may not, I’m not sure.

This morning we were playing Sorry and the clock in the living room chimed. Suddenly Lex jumped up and ran into the kitchen. I asked what he was doing and he said “Just checking the schedule!” The schedule which, he quickly noticed, had not been updated for Friday :) I updated it and they got super excited about today’s chores. Huh?! It was past chore time but both kids agreed they needed to be done, so upstairs we went to do chores. Eve got bored part way through, but with some gentle help and encouragement she made it to the end. Lex happily dusted the whole upstairs, at one point even announcing “Chores are fun!” I wish I had that on tape!

Perhaps my worries about how and when to follow the schedule were for naught. Perhaps, like the Field of Dreams, if I post it, they will follow. At least the reading-and-rule-abiding boy will follow and hopefully the eager-to-be-with-big-brother girl will tag along :)

As for themes (this week is butterflies), I decided to let the kids be involved in that decision as well. Next week we will be vacationing in the country and I was thinking bugs or lakes, but Lex decided that we should learn about flowers. So that will be our theme for next week. Flowers. I think there is a lot we can do with that theme!