An 8 year old's chores

While trying to revamp my kids' chore charts, I looked over the Internet for some ideas. Why on earth I thought this would be a good idea, I don't know. I very seldom can find stuff on the Internet for ideas that I trust or agree with. One site even said that since your child is now 8, he is ready for chores! (ready, just now??!) Here are some recommended chores for an eight to ten year old:

• put laundry in hamper
• help wash the dishes
• clean room with direction
• make his own lunch
• fold towels
• water plants

These are just to name a few. I guess that, yes, these things are all good for an 8 year old to do. However, these are all things that my 8 year old has been doing since he was four! I mean, water plants? Put clothes in a hamper? How difficult is that?!

After finding no help on the Internet, again (except for some stuff on Titus2.com), I resolved to just brainstorm up my own stuff.

Josiah-21 months

Everything is done wish supervision and many reminders. Put dirty clothes in hamper (I make my boy do 8 year old age appropriate chores...such a bad mommy I am), clean up your own messes/toys, throw away diapers, pick up bathtub toys.

Lydia-4 year old girl

Daily chores:
breakfast-get dressed, put away pajamas, brush teeth and hair, make bed, stack dishes in dishwasher on SATURDAY only.

lunch-brush teeth, tidy up bedroom, clean up hallway

once weekly-
Tuesday: wipe bathroom counter
Wednesday: wipe switch plates
Thursday: shake out doormats
Friday: wipe bottom of refrigerator, tidy up bookshelves
Saturday: help John clean out the van

Ethan-6 year old boy

breakfast-get dressed, put away pajamas, make bed, brush teeth and hair, clear and wipe table, tidy up school room, feed rabbits on Tue, Thur, and Sat

lunch-tidy up bedroom, stack dishes in dishwasher, tidy up bathroom

once weekly-
Tuesday: change bedsheets
Wednesday: tidy up front and back porches
Thursday: clean off and dust dresser
Friday: wipe the front of dishwasher, oven and microwave with glass cleaner, wipe down kitchen table and chairs
Saturday: dust in living room

John-8 year old boy

breakfast-get dressed, put away pajamas, make bed, brush teeth and hair, stack dishes in dishwasher, tidy up bedroom, feed rabbits on Mon, Wed, Fri, and Sun

lunch-clear and wipe table, tidy up living room (including counter, a catch-all that often gets forgotten), sweep living room

once weekly-
Tuesday: change bedsheets
Wednesday: sweep front and back porches
Thursday: clean off and dust dresser
Friday: clean rabbit cage, mop living room, wipe down kitchen table and chairs
Saturday: clean out van

The kids' chore charts are much better organized than what is shown above. This list is not all-inclusive. The kids all understand that anything that is asked of them is "their chore." This is just a list of things that need to be done on a regular basis. There are many things that they do, all but the baby, that are not listed here: picking the garden, folding laundry, putting away their own laundry and "household laundry": (i.e., sheets, towels, dishrags.), shelling peas, shucking corn and whatever else is needed at the time.

There are things that really stuck me from reading Managers of Their Homes by Steven and Terri Maxwell forever ago. One was that kids like to be challenged, but not to the point of being overwhelmed. The other thing was not to expect a grownup job from a kid. Yes, Lydia really can make her adult, twin bed. Sometimes I have to go behind her when she gets the bedspread crooked. John may miss a spot or two when mopping the floor, but I can praise him for what he did and give him helpful pointers.

I really did think it was almost funny that one site listed chore suggestions for a 13 year old. And then to see a separate category for 13-14 year olds and 15 and up. I couldn't see anything listed on the 15 and up list that a 12 year old couldn't do.

Guest Poster

I had been wanted to write a post regarding the use of the birth control pill. I found myself sort of time, however, to put together a proper post. Today I am featuring a guest poster. The following post was written by a lady in Ireland named Sarah. Her life has certainly been an encouragement to me. She has written a very informative post at her blog, heartsdesire. I for one will say that I used the pill for a short time. As is typical with most women, I had no idea how it worked.

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So, you think you know how the contraceptive pill works? You think you don't need to dig a little deeper? I'm here to tell you that you do not know enough! There has been a veil drawn before us; individuals with political agendas, governments, medical professionals and drug companies desperately want us to remain ignorant of the facts...

This week in America, the "Pill Kills" campaigners are again providing crucial information to their fellow citizens. They are courageously protesting and speaking out against this drug, which potentially extinguishes the life of the unborn, is extremely detrimental to women's health, negatively impacts the environment and threatens the God ordained institution of marriage. I pray for such boldness in our own country of Ireland.

It is a medical fact that the birth control pill can act as an abortifacient. Which means that it has the ability to cause an abortion of a newly conceived life. Yes a life. That little pill has the ability to extinguish an innocent life.

I have posted this short documentary before, but in the hopes of providing vital information to just one person, I will post it again. Please take the time to watch it.

The next video is a short sermon given by Pastor Anderson; preaching about the effects of the birth control pill. Please do not send me comments about your objections with Pastor Anderson's sermons, please listen to what he has to say on this important issue.

The next video will show that the birth control pill was championed by a radical feminist and extreme racist; Margaret Sanger. Mrs Sanger is also the founder of Planned Parenthood, a evil regime whose sole aim is to exterminate ethnic minorities and other human "defects", through the use of the birth control pill and abortion.

So, what about the counter arguments? What do those who dismiss the claims that the birth control pill can cause early abortions think? Well while I was researching for this post I came across these 'scientific' arguments on this website: (My answers/comments in bold)

When does pregnancy begin?

• Scientists, including anti-abortion physicians, have long defined pregnancy as beginning when a fertilized egg implants in the womb. Long defined? Actually the word 'pregnancy' was re-defined to the above description, so as to make the birth control pill marketable. Do not let clever wording confuse you here...once an egg is fertilized it is no longer called an egg but a zygote! A zygote IS a newly conceived life!

• Implantation is the only event that triggers hormonal, physical and all the other changes in bodily function that allow the egg to receive nutrients and begin to divide and grow- i.e., pregnancy. A woman's menstrual cycle has already caused some changes within the woman's body in order to sustain new life should conception take place. Also the newly conceived life has already begun to divide and grow before implantation.

• “Pro-life” adherents, including the “Pill Kills” extremists, define pregnancy as beginning at the moment of fertilization, when sperm meets egg. This is a medical fact, one that is also supported in scripture.

• Scientific research rejects that argument: fertilization triggers no “pregnancy response” of hormonal or other change in a woman’s body and in fact is undetectable. This 'medical research is highly suspect. Actually in addition to the above information, ovulation itself triggers the production of estrogen and progesterone; progesterone is a hormone that causes other changes in a woman's body to facilitate fertilization and implantation. If a life is not conceived then the levels of estrogen and progesterone drop causing a woman to shed her womb lining in her monthly menses. Implantation only triggers your body to produce hCG hormone which allows your body to CONTINUE producing progesterone and estrogen.

How do contraceptives work?

• Contraceptive literature says all methods prevent pregnancy in one of three ways: inhibiting ovulation, inhibiting sperm transport and/or possibly creating what appears to be a “hostile environment” or thinned lining in the womb so that eggs do not implant. **Newsflash** If a zygote/new life cannot implant because a hormonal contraceptive has shrunken the lining then that is called an abortion.

• No scientific studies support the theory of a "hostile environment" that deters implantation. If a newly conceived life is supposed to implant in a healthy womb lining in order to survive, then it is only logical to conclude that if the endometrium is now deemed a poor environment, then of course it may prevent implantation.
  
  
• In fact many fertilized eggs implant and begin to grow in women’s fallopian tubes, abdominal cavities and other “hostile” tissues. It is true that when implantation takes place in these environments then a healthy full term pregnancy is not possible, and medical intervention must take place. However the womb lining IS the intelligently designed place where new life should be able to implant and grow, preventing this may cause an abortion.
  
  
• “Pill Kills” extremists insist erroneously that hormonal contraceptives do prevent fertilized eggs from implanting. Having already mis-defined fertilized eggs as pregnancies, they then assert that hormonal contraceptives therefore cause abortions. Semantics play a very important part of keeping the veil drawn to hide the truth, do not be fooled. It is a medical fact that hormonal contraceptives may prevent newly conceived lives from implanting in the womb. Also aren't these people the ones who are mis-defining? We do not say that a fertilized egg is a pregnancy. Pregnancy is the physical state in which to describe a woman who is carrying new life inside her womb. A 'fertilized egg' is a new life, an unborn human being.

Below are a number of books you may want to borrow from your library or purchase for your family.

Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions? - Randy Alcorn

Be Fruitful And Multiply - Nancy Campbell

I do hope that some people, who claim to be 'pro-choice' may now see, that these 'scientific' arguments are illogical and rely upon clever wording to hide the truth. Be deceived no longer! Do not just take my word for it; I implore you to research this issue with your husbands. Search scripture; what does Gods word tell us about rejecting His gifts?

Sisters in Christ, let us not hide behind wordly reasoning. Back problems, worrying about age, pelvic issues, opinions of others, finances...etc; God is bigger than any of these 'reasons'. There is never a good enough reason for us to act against the nature of our bodies, and cut off our seed. To act against nature in this way, is to act against God. The Bible tells us that we should be enthusiastic about receiving children from the Lord.

PepsiCo Using Aborted Tissue for Taste Research

One of my little summer projects is that I've been looking for free apps for my iPhone that play quality conservative Christian music. I've gotten a player for FBN, BBN, and others. I had the brainstorm to look for a player for VCY America because I like to listen to their show Crosstalk. Now, I very seldom get to listen to this broadcast because the program lasts an hour and getting a whole hour to just listen to a radio show is about impossible in a busy house like mine. Anyway, these are just minor details really, but I'm just the sort of person to give you all the minor details. haha

Children of God for Life was a ministry that I had never heard of until Twylia mentioned them on her blog a while back. Crosstalk (VCY America) mentioned on their show that Children of God for Life was calling for a boycott of PepsiCo and the products that they sell. PepsiCo partners with a company called Senomyx. This company is using human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293) to further their flavor research. In an excerpt from its response, PepsiCo wrote "This will help us achieve our commitment to reduce added sugar per serving by 25% in key brands in key markets over the next decade and ultimately help people live healthier lives."

It seems to me that at a time people saw themselves as justified to use murdered babies for medical research, vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and the like. We learned that the innocent were being used in some cosmetics. Now, aborted babies are used for the pleasure of taste. "Live healthier lives" is their wording, but omitting sodas and artificial sweeteners would be the answer for those who are truly interested in health.

http://www.cogforlife.org/pepsiboycott.htm

http://www.cogforlife.org/senomyxalert.htm

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC123709/

http://www.vcyamerica.org/blog/2011/05/25/pro-life-groups-boycott-pepsipending-pro-life-legislation

A printable .pdf of items which fall under Children of God for Life's boycott.

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In totally unrelated news, there is a 1,500+ acre forest fire near our home. Yesterday it wasn't much of a bother because the wind was blowing the fire away from our home. With the calm winds last night, there is so much smoke everywhere. For us, its not really more than a nuisance; we're not in danger or anything. I hate it for Ethan though. The extreme heat we've had lately, in excess of 100º, has been hard on him. Throw in a head cold, high particulate matter from months without significant rainfall, and now smoke and more particulate matter from a massive fire and it's not going to be good for Ethan. I'm not one on "preventative medicine," but I think I'm going to start giving him licorice to strengthen his lungs.

In more unrelated news, while I was typing this post someone managed to take my favorite hymnal, put it in the bathroom sink and turn on the water. I've asked all of them and no one did it. That's what I get for being distracted by this post. haha

Mom of One vs. Mom of Many

I had a very entertaining conversation with a friend of mine a while back. This particular friend is mother to 4 little girls, the oldest of is about to turn 6. She and I were talking about "when we only had 1...or maybe 2" and being mom to the family that's the smaller end of medium.

When I only had one (and maybe 2)...

• We actually had a "nursery."
• The nursery was actually decorated in a baby theme....and was ready by time I was 7 months pregnant.
  
• We had every imaginable baby gadget (swing, baby gym, high chair, exersaucer, etc.) and it was all perfectly arranged throughout the house months in advance.
• I reported every unusual pain and discomfort to the obstetrician.
• I never ever missed a doctor's appointment.
  
• When we left the house, the kids had on adorable outfits, which often matched mine.
  
• When we left the house, our kids always had their hair combed and faces/hands wiped just before walking out the door.
• Pacifiers, toys, bottles, cups, etc. were boiled and sterilized on a regular basis.
• Any pacifier which fell on the floor, even at home, was set aside for sterilization.
• If a pacifier was dropped in public, it was replaced by a spare, one of many spares in the diaper bag.
• The diaper bag was stocked with anything possibly foreseen as a need: at least 10 diapers, the whole pack of wipes, little baggies for a smelly diaper (wouldn't want to offend anyone's nose), 2-3 changes of clothes, extra socks and shoes, thermometer, medicine for fever, gas, allergic reaction, a pediatric manicure kit, toys, a variety of snacks, multiple sippy cups, 3 burp cloths ... did I mention we were just going grocery shopping?
• If baby got too fussy, I abandoned the grocery shopping trip.
• If baby got hungry, it meant stopping the grocery shopping trip to head out to the car (or back home) to nurse, and drove the car over to a more secluded part of the parking lot.
  
• We took the kids for studio portraits every 3 months.
  
• The pediatrician's office number was in my speed dial and I called for every incidence of fever or other ailment.
• Any deviation from the pediatrician's recommendation for the introduction of solids was unacceptable.
  
• No one was competent to hold baby without my supervision. Of course, I tried to look like I wasn't looking...
• When #2 came, #1 could not even look at him without constant supervision.

With #5 due in September...

• We do not have a nursery.
• The only things we need for new baby: newborn-sized clothes, bassinette, the Moby wrap (which doesn't get put away from baby to baby) a few burp cloths and baby blankets ... maybe the swing (if we can spare the space).
  
• We don't get most of the other baby gear out.
  
• Discomfort comes with pregnancy. The older you get, the more uncomfortable, tired and crampy you get too. Comes with the territory.
• I have been known to ditch a doctor's appointment with a really crummy excuse...especially when you have to come to the doctor twice a month or once a week. Doesn't she know what it takes for me to get all these kids out of the house? It takes an hour and a half to get ready, 30 minutes to drive there. She comes in, stays in for 5 minutes and says, "everything looks good, see you next week."
  
• When we leave the house, we don't stress about looking like we stepped out of American Baby Magazine.
• I do clean the kids up (hands, faces, hair), but they usually manage to get dirty again before we leave.
• Pacifiers, cups, etc. dropped in public get washed in hot soapy water...that is only if the mouth part touches the ground.
• There are no spare pacifiers usually. I was glad to have remembered to bring just one!
• The diaper bag has 2-3 diapers, depending on the length of the trip. If baby is very young, I may bring a change of clothes. With one as old as Josiah (21 months), I barely bring the diaper bag on a short trip. Really...what can happen in 45 minutes that is so catastrophic that we need such an arsenal?
• If baby gets fussy in the store, the public can deal with it. I don't care if his crying irritates you. Babies cry.
  
• I don't think twice about nursing in public. I also nurse while pushing a shopping cart, continuing to shop, and herding up the other kids. Do I get looks from other people? Sometimes. Do I care? Not at all!!! How dare I use my breasts for what they were intended for...and do it so unashamedly?!
• We count ourselves blessed to have a portrait once a year.
• The pediatrician only gets called in dire emergency. The last time I called her was when Josiah ended up being hospitalized.
• A taste of solids won't hurt a baby. No really, they'll survive. I'm not meaning supplementing their diet with solids. Momma's milk is still perfect for baby.
• It's okay for siblings to pick up their little baby. Even toddlers seem to have a sense that babies need special care and generally aren't too rough. (at least this has been the case with mine) If it does happen that a baby gets whacked on the head by an excited toddler, little baby will get over it very quickly.

Now, I know that most mothers are like the first description. In all those things I listed, I was gleaning from personal experience. By that I mean that those things are all things that I have done. But when I was talking to my friend, she worded it this way: "Once you have a few, experience teaches you what's important. Some things just aren't worth the effort."