For the last two years (maybe even longer) and ongoing struggle in my house is getting the girls (both of them) to do their chores.  I don’t think I have given them a huge burden to take on-washing dishes, vacuuming once/week, cleaning rooms, putting laundry away and taking out the garbage (nightly).  There are two, and the chores are divided-and they are directly tied to their allowance.

Its a simple equation, do your chores, get your allowance no questions asked.  Don’t do your chores, no allowance; once again no questions asked.

Lets say I’ve saved $40/month for the last four months. Yeah its been that long since they managed to do their chores for a full week. 

Which made today kind of interesting.  With my bi-weekly cleaning lady on vacation-and not scheduled to be here for six weeks I implemented a weekly cleaning ritual today that went over incredibly well.  Each of us (including me) had to clean and vacuum our bedrooms.  We each had one bathroom to clean.  The person (in this case 10.5) who cleaned the 1/2 bath also had to mop the hardwood floors and 8.0 had to vacuum the living room and family room.

Some non-inspired moaning and groaning by 10.5 (if I ask her to do anything other than text her friend via her iPod Touch or get dressed there is moaning and groaning) and all the work was done.

As one of my friends via Twitter pointed out, the girls did their chores.

But we didn’t call it chores, there was no chart, there is no record keeping.  It was just, Christina is on vacation and lets get it done.

So everyone, shhh, its a secret.  They really did their chores.  OK?