Slaving away.
We started a new dinner chore program last month at our house. Previously, we had three dinner chores assigned to different kids: Setting, clearing, and putting food away. After those three chores were done, the kids would disappear and it would take at least 30 minutes to finish up. Annoying.
The new system is called Kitchen Slave. This is how it works:
- We get one child before dinner and two after dinner. No rotating. Whoever is around is called to duty.
- We set the timer for 15 minutes, during which time the slave is ours. We can order them to do whatever we want.
- During the 15 minutes, if the slave is not engaged in a chore, they must stand against the refrigerator so we can see them. They may not wander away or hide, which is a big problem at my house.
- After the timer rings, child or children are excused.
Here is why I like the new system:
- My kids are learning to do other jobs in the kitchen like food prep, sweeping, and counter wiping.
- I can order the slave to do non-kitchen related chores if I wish, so the family room is usually clean after dinner.
- Nobody wanders away.
- The slaves don't seem to mind because it is fair and there is a time limit.
- My kitchen is clean 15 minutes after dinner and we can move on to other things.
- There is camaraderie when we are all working together.
- I am more inclined to fix dinner.
- I enjoy ordering people around.
I realize slave is not a PC term, but it is so descriptive I can't help myself. If you can think of a better name, hit me with it.
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23 comments:
i love it. i'm doin' it.
This is so brilliant. I am going to enslave someone...starting tonight.
You know I am going to have to copy this post off and put it in my chore ideas file, don't you?
Oh, and that's a bummer that Carl didn't know my brother. Maybe Carl was never cast in a training video. It is a crying shame because I know the camera would love him.
Brilliant! I'm totally doing this :)
I love it! and I have no problem at all with slave.
So how long does it take to throw away the pans from the faux made dinners? I am assuming this means you have taken up REAL cooking with pots and pans and spatulas? Need some recipes?
Indentured Servitude.
OH MY GOSH IS THAT THE CHERRY PIE BIRTHDAY CAKE??? where's big C? is that a file photo or was there a recent bday celebration that you forgot to blog about? i feel vacuous right now.
I love the part about them standing against the fridge if they are not "in use", so they don't run off. That made me laugh because it is so true!
The term "slave" has been given a bad name. It is totally appropriate when used in the kitchen.
Freakin' awesome. As soon as I get back from Germany, I'll be putting my slaves to work as well. We may substitute afternoon chores with afternoon slave time and saturday chores with Slave Hour.
I used the word slave once when I was teaching in South Central. It did no go over well.
How about "birthed help"? You know like, the hired help but yours were birthed....
I like it! Great idea to cut the whining and "discussions" about fairness. As far a the word SLAVE is concerned, it is politically correct because moms are SLAVES 24 hours a day, seven days a week and no one seems bothered by that.
I just read this to Gabe (because Ryan is napping and I needed to share with someone immediately). He thought it sounded awesome.
Brilliant! I am instituting this immediately, starting with tomorrow's big production Sunday dinner. You really should write a book, these are just fabulous tips.
LOVE this idea! Completely borrowing it.
I'm posting your rules RIGHT NOW! You're a freakin' genius.
You are my idol.
My parenting idol.
Genius Idea. I am sending my slaves over to you for retraining... your welcome.
I think my kids would actually enjoy being called slaves.
I'm going to try.
I love it but be prepared for you chitlins to start demanding repairations, (sp?) you know when they figure out that slaves have done that in the past.
Knock, knock, knock. Anybody home?
Coolness.
Except tell me how standing against the fridge is punishment. Wouldn't they just choose to do that and not work? Tell me more.
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