Working from our strengths. Everyone of us has different gifts, skills, things we like, and strongly don’t like (handwashing dishes is my nemesis sometimes). A couple months ago, I had an idea pop into my head to focus more on our strengths when working together as a family vs. expecting similar from everyone with family chores. Today on the blog, I’m sharing about how to use strengths to assign family chores.

Examples of what I mean by working from our strengths to assign family chores:

My husband really enjoys cooking, tidying the kitchen, and going for walks with the kids. I really enjoy planning, managing a home, and laundry. My oldest enjoys fixing things and running small errands to fetch things. He also enjoys serving others a lot and baking. My youngest boy enjoys mopping, eating, and running. He’s 4.5, so for him it’s the little things right now. My middle boy enjoys reading, so he often reads with his younger siblings. I enjoy vacuuming. So, we focus on those things. If I know someone really hates sweeping, but enjoys vacuuming, I go with that.

Some chores we are all required to do whether or not they are our strengths such as caring for our clothes and the laundry, but outside of that, it’s nice to pick and choose and work together by using our strengths to assign family chores.

CHORE IDEAS FOR CHILDREN

Time flies with children and before you know it, they’ve become more independent. Taking care of their own things (well, being taught at least ha!). We try to encourage our children independence and fostering a family culture of helping one another. So let’s talk chores today. Here are some ways we try to encourage our kids to help with family chores:⁣

  • younger kids - vacuuming, picking up a handful of things to put away⁣
  • putting away dishes⁣
  • helping with laundry⁣
  • specific tidying tasks like putting away dinky cars⁣
  • our older son (11) takes out the garbage every week too!⁣
    ⁣
    The key long term is to not overwhelm them, but give them small, baby stepped tasks that they can acheive and feel successful with, which will encourage them going forward on making good habits.

Here’s a blog with more suggested chores that families can do together. And another blog here on the importance of chores for children.

So oftentimes now we keep in mind the things we are good at and what makes us happy! Asking my husband to take the kids for a walk while I tidy the home in peace is often a win. Win for us, for instance. It applies to so many areas too. Of course, there’s the lesson that sometimes you’ve got to do things you don’t like.. Like dirty dishes, but at least working from our strengths helps to make our home run much smoother.

Little tweaks like this can make a big difference.

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Overview of blog notes with family in the background.

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(updated Sept. 6th/2021)

Hi, I’m Kelly! I’m a mother of four children - three boys, one toddler girl - and our family lives on the beautiful east coast of Canada. I’m a past elementary teacher, turned stay at home, work at home mom eight years ago after I had my second child. I’ve found that the busier I’ve become and as my children age, that it’s become even more important to figure out what is most important to me and us as a family. Living a simpler lifestyle has helped us in so many ways in our home life - from better routines to faster tidying up times. It has been through my children that I have been inspired to learn how to effectively manage my time and to simplify in all areas of my home and life. I enjoy helping busy moms simplify home life by teaching flexible planning methods and skills. Enjoyed this blog and think it would be helpful to others? I'd love if you shared it. Thank you!