Believe it or not

I am reminded this week, as I put my family back on 'a schedule', why I adore schedules, routines, jobs, rules and expectations.

I have let the kids weekly jobs completely go this summer. Heck, I let my own go. Completely.

In anticipation of School and Football (read completely overwhelming until October) I sat down and forced myself to get back into routine.  I may have mentioned a time or two or six how naughty my kids are lately and how I'm so ready to send them off to school for someone else to deal with.  So I went all Super Nanny on their butts and made up an excel spreadsheet of what was to be done when and where.

They are back to bedtimes and wake up times and morning rituals and chore charts and dinner jobs and well, discipline in general.  You know what has happened? Well first they threw Guiness World Record fits with weeping and wailing and nashing of teeth and then-then-THEN they feel right into it like it was meant to be. And their wailing has been brought down to maybe 1/3 the original. Because who am I kidding, I still complain about doing the dishes so I can't expect them to totally quit.

And as I was on the other side of the room with Ryan and Jena washing the walls and railings they had a little talk that I'm sure they thought I couldn't hear.

Ryan-I like this zone cleaning thing.
Jena- What's zone cleaning?
Ryan- You know, this new thing mom's doing where we clean upstairs on Monday and the kitchen on Tuesday and downstairs on Wednesday.
Jena-Oh, yeah, me too. Then were not like, cleaning ALL day. {insert major Jena dramatics here}
Ryan-Yeah, believe it or not, Moms pretty smart like that.

He'll never admit to saying it, of that I'm sure, but it sure has shown in the attitude change around here. Both theirs and mine.

Mom 1 point and I'm pretty sure the Kids get 1 too!

From a lucky girl