I was fortunate to be able to share the story about Children’s Miracle Music here on the local ABC TV channel. So now it is good to build the buzz about how kids chores can be a fun part of family activities.
I guess I am not surprised now that other folks are amazed that kids housekeeping really can get done automatically - with NO nagging!
Do let me know your questions and thoughts about getting the kids chores done in your family - in the comments section below.
All my best,
Christine
Erin, a mother to her three and a half year old asked a great question:
“Once you turn on the music, do you need to participate and do your OWN chores/responsibilities at the same time to set an example?”
The Children’s Miracle Music game is for the whole family – including Mom and Dad. In the game, each family member chooses where they would like to go on a private date with either their mom or dad. Write the dates on the “Goal” section of the “Points Chart”. Let them know that they need 100 points to reach their goal and go on their date. I always put “Dad” and then “Mom” at the top of the chart for everyone to understand that we all need to do our part in home chores. But the ‘real goal’ is to train our children to have the HABIT, SKILL and DESIRE to quickly and happily take care of each home area, as well as themselves. This ‘real goal’ needs to be achieved before they turn 18 and leave their parents’ home, so that they can then achieve this without exterior motivation.
The game is a miraculous tool that instantly TRAINS your children to become responsible and self-governed adults. In playing the game, write down every area (room) of the house and then add “Laundry”, “Dishes” and “Breakfast” to the list. Pair family members into team-mates. One that is older with one that is younger. (Yes parents can be team mates too.) Each team (two family members) chooses two points (tasks) from your list. One for the morning “Act of Kindness” and one for the evening “Act of Kindness”. You leave them on the same “Act of Kindness” until they become a PRO at doing it. It could take years (depending on their age) but it becomes a life-long skill once learned.
Here’s a recent example from our family: The other day my husband needed some extra work clothes washed. I was really busy so I said to my THREE year old daughter,
“Go and show daddy how to do the laundry. OK?”
She is almost completely a PRO at the laundry because we, as team-mates, have been practicing doing this ‘kids chore’ for three years now (since she was born). When she can do the laundry completely, I will switch her to a new area of the house to become skilled at taking care of another ‘kids chore’ - or ‘act of kindness’ as we call them in the game. I strongly suggest getting the whole family involved with Children’s Miracle Music game. It is just as much about freedom and responsibility for children AND parents.
Here is a mother with a challenge… I am sure she is not alone.
She is burdened by the housekeeping and, neither her kids nor her husband are helping with the chores. Sound familiar? Her ideas — in this YouTube video is to take away privileges, money, and even possessions as a way to solve this. Clearly it’s not working. Watch the video below and then my suggestions below. Getting kids chores done and having kids housekeeping be fun is possible…
Dear “North Georgia Peach”,
I’m so glad that you took the time to post your question. After more than fifteen years of research on how to get kids chores done I can show you an easier way.
The idea is to make chores fun – and to train your kids (and husband too!) how to do that. The Children’s Miracle Music game instantly and automatically changes what you might call “chores” into what children see as fun tasks to do. To you, the game becomes a miraculous parenting tool which you can use to train your family on how to be skilled at and have the desire to do their chores WITHOUT you having to nag them. I know! It’s a MIRACLE! You said in your video… “that your children are only expected to do about ten minutes of work each day.”
CHALLENGE - if a chore should only take ten minutes, but you have not designated WHICH ten minutes, then you will probably have to wait for a very long time for your children to decide which ten minutes!
SOLUTION - The Children’s Miracle Music game uses music as a timing mechanism to let your kids know EXACTLY which ten minutes!
I don’t believe that it is wrong for you to expect certain things to be done by each family member every day. Your family members shouldn’t be thinking that the chores they do are to help YOU with YOUR work. The Children’s Miracle Music game automatically transfers exact responsibilities of chores to each person. Now you are able to ask THEM if they would like help learning how to care for THEIR areas.
There’s lot’s more ideas here on how to liberate yourself and your family – to have a happy and fun home atmosphere – where all the chores get done effortlessly. I would love to tell you a thousand more ideas about this. I’ll be writing more on this blog of the life changing research that I’ve found to work for my family and thousands of other families.
Please join the conversation here with questions and comments.
Music is a POWERFUL motivator – for kids and adults alike. If you have ever gone to a movie and felt like crying because a dog died or felt great fear because a shark MIGHT be in the water, then you have experienced the powerful impact that music can have on your emotions.
If you saw the same scenes without the carefully chosen music, you might find that you feel bored watching the show.
Music not only instantly motivates our bodies to be completely filled with the emotion that it is portraying but it also makes us completely aware of the passage of time without having to look at a clock. When you become aware that time is moving on, the feeling of needing to make every second count becomes AUTOMATIC.
The music selections on the Children’s Miracle Music game have been carefully and strategically chosen after years of research. The motivation that kids get is to FEEL LIKE doing their tasks. And part of the game is to be rewarded — with points that count towards their goals.
Sage, who is 8 years old says proudly: “the music makes me do it.” She’s right of course — music makes us do so many things.
I bet you didn’t know that there was music that could help your kids to FEEL LIKE doing the dishes — or cleaning the toilet! There is. My research – as a mom and a keen observer of kids’ motivation has determined the exact LENGTH OF TIME that each task could be accomplished in. Then both of these motivators are combined into the most effective motivational sequence.
The result is that kids chores can now be fun every time. All the kids housekeeping gets done, quickly and easily – with NO nagging.
There’s lot’s more to say about music and kids motivation. Music has become a joyful part of our family life. I am sure it can be for you too. I’d love to hear your questions and comments about how music motivates you and your kids.
The practice of defining expectations for your children and making lists of the tasks that need to be done for each room in your home frees up a mother’s time and energies so she can focus her time on important matters like training her children to be responsible, loving and successful adults.
There’s many tasks that need to get done in a home – and unless there is an effective system in place, parents find themselves doing what could otherwise be set up as ‘kids chores’. To divide up the kids chores, write down all of the rooms in your house and then add “dishes” and “laundry” to your list. Some people call this a chore chart.
Have every family member choose two “rooms” on the list. Let them know they will be doing a fast “ten minute clean up” in those two rooms each day. One room will be done in the morning and the other one in the evening.
Let them know you will post exactly what needs to be done and when it needs to be done on a list in each of the rooms. Let them know how grateful you are for each of them doing their part to take care of their home. I always remind my children that “you only get to keep what you take care of”.
When a family member feels responsible for a certain room, a mother doesn’t have to be a ‘broken record’ any more, having to say things over and over. Getting the kid’s chores done now becomes a game and is part of the family fun.
It took many years of research and testing to createChildren’s Miracle Music– but this is now the easiest way to ensure that all the kids chores are done on time – and without any nagging!
For example: my eight-year-old son Tommy was responsible for keeping our ‘dressing room’ clean. He knew that every night he would be hanging up any clothes that were left on the floor. Because it was completely clear that this was HIS responsibility, HE was the one asking our younger girls to make sure and pick up their clothes after they changed.
The same thing happened with my six-year-old daughter Faith. She knew that it as her responsibility to take care of our ‘gathering room’ every night for ten minutes. Because of this, she would frequently ask family members to pick up things before they left the room.
I was no longer a dictator, taskmaster, or nagging mother. I had provided a system for our home organization where we could all do our part and everyone knew exactly what their ‘part’ was. If I helped my daughter pick up the things in her ‘gathering room’ she would thank ME instead of the other way round. This is a GREAT kids motivation tool.
Many times mothers feel overwhelmed because their mind is full of a long list of “to do’s”, as they look around their home and feel that THEY have to do it all. This is NOT a mother’s job. A mother should look at herself as a manager of a small group of people – her children, and the building that houses them.
Being a manager means that you are responsible for making schedules, dividing up tasks, making the functions of the group run smoothly. This includes uplifting and praising your small group (your children), finding the motivational keys or tools and helping your group develop positive routines and habits.
One way to be a manager of the cleaning part of a home is to make a list of exactly what needs to be done in a room to maintain it. This is more than simply a chore chart. Write the person who is responsible for caring for that room at the top of the list and the time of day that he or she is expected to take care of it.
As part of your home organization, there should be one 10 minute room cleanup every morning and a different one every evening. Post the list in each room so that expectations are clearly DEFINED and can be easily fulfilled.
Welcome To A New World – Where Kids Do The Housework
Hi, I'm Christine Mullins, the proud mother of seven children. Over the years I've experienced all the joys, struggles, mistakes and successes that go with that role.
I've dealt with the challenge that every parent faces: how to get your children to do their chores, get themselves ready for the day on time, and get to bed on time in the evening.
After years of trial and error, plus extensive research and testing, Children's Miracle Music was born.
I'm passionate to help parents succeed in bringing up confident, healthy and happy children.
This blog is about my journey -- to share the inside story on children's motivation, home organization, family fun and harmony ...and lots more too. I hope you will join the conversation with comments and questions - here on this blog and on my Website.
Write the dates on the “Goal” section of the “Points Chart”. Let them know that they need 100 points to reach their goal and go on their date. I always put “Dad” and then “Mom” at the top of the chart for everyone to understand that we all need to do our part in home chores. But the ‘real goal’ is to train our children to have the HABIT, SKILL and DESIRE to quickly and happily take care of each home area, as well as themselves. This ‘real goal’ needs to be achieved before they turn 18 and leave their parents’ home, so that they can then achieve this without exterior motivation.
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