by Amanda van der Gulik
If you're anything like me, then you just don't have any time to do the small things around your home that need to be done but just never get done, right?
Like folding laundry!
Sure, popping it in the washing machine and then throwing it in the dryer is the easy enough, but then what?
Do you find that you put off the folding because to be honest, you're just too busy or you just plain can't stand doing it?
Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a Minion around to fold your laundry for you?
Admit it, your couch is getting loaded with all the clean clothes you just can't find time to fold and put away right? Well, mine sure does, or did anyway, until I figured this cool technique out:
I have two kiddos, Xanthe and Quinn. They do not like doing housework. Sure they'll do it if I ask them to but it always comes with a big sigh and groan.
So I wanted to find a way to make it so much fun that they would ask me to do the laundry for me!
I know, sounds crazy right?
Well, it actually was pretty easy to get set up and now whenever I throw some laundry in the machine, they come flying out asking, "Can I do the folding?"
So how did I manage this?
In two ways:
1) I first decided to create a reward system. I figured that since I am known all over the world as the mompreneur who teaches kids and teens about money, that I'd better find a fun way for my own kiddos to earn some money so they could show off how well they could manage their money.
I never believed in just giving an allowance willy nilly. I was raised that we had to work for our money. Since then I've found out a few other very important factors, and that 'working hard for money' wasn't necessarily the ONLY way to earn money, but more on that another day...
For now I just want to share with you one idea, and that is to set up a Home Opportunity Chart. Every time my kiddos do a "chore" around our home that goes above and beyond their commonly expected chores (ie. they don't get to earn any reward for making their bed, putting away the dishes they use, etc.) I would reward them with a point. After they accumulated 6 points I would pay them out $6.
Why the number 6?
Because my kids use my "6 Magical Piggy Bank" money management system, and this amount makes it simple for them to divide their money between their 6 Piggy Banks. (I'll put a link for you in my Author Bio so you can access the cartoon I created that shows how the 6 Magical Piggy Banks work for you below this article.)
Anyway, my kids were quite surprised and very excited to know that they could earn money! Especially money for their "Fun" jar! ;)
But folding laundry is still boring, and even the enticement of a money opportunity became not so particularly intriguing to them.
So I initiated Plan B...
2) Make folding laundry actually fun!
I show them some really cool ways to fold the different daily items that were not only super quick to do but also, downright fun to do!
Here's a video of one of the those techniques: (I think you'll see how much fun this would seem to a kid to do and even to show off to their friends!):
Here's to having fun with your child learning how to fold your laundry for you, make some money and simply have some fun doing a cool new trick! :D Enjoy! ...and don't forget that you can take a look at that cartoon I mentioned above for free on my site, listed in my author bio below. Enjoy! :D
Cheers...Amanda...Excited Life Enthusiast! ;o)
Best-selling author, Amanda van der Gulik homeschooled her own two children for over 12 years. As founder of www.TeachingChildrenAboutMoney.com, Amanda is constantly being interviewed for parenting shows, like Radio Disney, on TV, radio, in newspapers, magazines and blogs all over the world. Visit Amanda’s site today to grab your FREE copy of her eBook, “Goal-Setting for Families", her "Mindmovies for Kids and Teens” or her “The 6 Magical Piggy Banks” cartoon to help give your child some great ideas of how they can earn their own money!
If you're anything like me, then you just don't have any time to do the small things around your home that need to be done but just never get done, right?
Like folding laundry!
Sure, popping it in the washing machine and then throwing it in the dryer is the easy enough, but then what?
Do you find that you put off the folding because to be honest, you're just too busy or you just plain can't stand doing it?
Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a Minion around to fold your laundry for you?
Admit it, your couch is getting loaded with all the clean clothes you just can't find time to fold and put away right? Well, mine sure does, or did anyway, until I figured this cool technique out:
I have two kiddos, Xanthe and Quinn. They do not like doing housework. Sure they'll do it if I ask them to but it always comes with a big sigh and groan.
So I wanted to find a way to make it so much fun that they would ask me to do the laundry for me!
I know, sounds crazy right?
Well, it actually was pretty easy to get set up and now whenever I throw some laundry in the machine, they come flying out asking, "Can I do the folding?"
So how did I manage this?
In two ways:
1) I first decided to create a reward system. I figured that since I am known all over the world as the mompreneur who teaches kids and teens about money, that I'd better find a fun way for my own kiddos to earn some money so they could show off how well they could manage their money.
I never believed in just giving an allowance willy nilly. I was raised that we had to work for our money. Since then I've found out a few other very important factors, and that 'working hard for money' wasn't necessarily the ONLY way to earn money, but more on that another day...
For now I just want to share with you one idea, and that is to set up a Home Opportunity Chart. Every time my kiddos do a "chore" around our home that goes above and beyond their commonly expected chores (ie. they don't get to earn any reward for making their bed, putting away the dishes they use, etc.) I would reward them with a point. After they accumulated 6 points I would pay them out $6.
Why the number 6?
Because my kids use my "6 Magical Piggy Bank" money management system, and this amount makes it simple for them to divide their money between their 6 Piggy Banks. (I'll put a link for you in my Author Bio so you can access the cartoon I created that shows how the 6 Magical Piggy Banks work for you below this article.)
Anyway, my kids were quite surprised and very excited to know that they could earn money! Especially money for their "Fun" jar! ;)
But folding laundry is still boring, and even the enticement of a money opportunity became not so particularly intriguing to them.
So I initiated Plan B...
2) Make folding laundry actually fun!
I show them some really cool ways to fold the different daily items that were not only super quick to do but also, downright fun to do!
Here's a video of one of the those techniques: (I think you'll see how much fun this would seem to a kid to do and even to show off to their friends!):
Here's to having fun with your child learning how to fold your laundry for you, make some money and simply have some fun doing a cool new trick! :D Enjoy! ...and don't forget that you can take a look at that cartoon I mentioned above for free on my site, listed in my author bio below. Enjoy! :D
Cheers...Amanda...Excited Life Enthusiast! ;o)
Best-selling author, Amanda van der Gulik homeschooled her own two children for over 12 years. As founder of www.TeachingChildrenAboutMoney.com, Amanda is constantly being interviewed for parenting shows, like Radio Disney, on TV, radio, in newspapers, magazines and blogs all over the world. Visit Amanda’s site today to grab your FREE copy of her eBook, “Goal-Setting for Families", her "Mindmovies for Kids and Teens” or her “The 6 Magical Piggy Banks” cartoon to help give your child some great ideas of how they can earn their own money!
