Summer "jobs"

I love when I stumble across things like this ... Truman helping Bodie with his summer reading.

I thought long and hard about how I was going to handle "summer chores" this year.  After considering lots of charts and chores I came up with something that I thought would work best for us.

Each day I write a sticky note for each boy with things they need to do that day.  Lots of days it's the same or very similar; read in English and Spanish, play the piano, make your bed and serve someone.  Some days I will leave off one of the obvious ones just to change things up and make it more fun.  I don't necessarily like doing the same mundane things day after day {dishes, laundry, pick-up} so I try to switch it up for the kids too.

If we have something specific that day {i.e.  dentist appointments, play dates, late night movies} then I add it to the list to make things different.

The other great thing about this way of doing summer jobs/chores is that if we fall off the ban wagon it's easy to get back on!  Just make a list for the next day.

And finally, the last item on their list every day is 'serve someone'.  I felt inspired to add this in an attempted to raise kids who are aware of those around them.  As I think about what qualities I hope my kids always have its one of service and an ability to be aware of the world around them.  I feel like it is such a good skill as a roommate, mission companion, husband, wife, business man, etc.  When the summer started Truman looked at me cross eyed when he first read "serve someone" on his list and then he promptly asked, "what am I suppose to do?"  At first I had to suggest things the kids could do but it quickly turned into the kids happy to tell me when they found someone to serve and how they did it.  I try to remember every night to ask how they served someone.