I met a woman with the same problem, but unlike me, she came up with a great solution! Donna Bell, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey is a busy mother of 4 kids (ages 8-20). Two years ago, Donna realized she was doing dishes constantly, rushing like crazy and complaining to the kids.
Donna and her husband Rick started having family meetings. Once a week, they sit down as a family and iron out the plans for the week ahead. They determine who will be responsible for the chores and they detail exactly how those chores should be finished. 16-year-old Janey runs the meetings like a CEO! They discuss the schedule so there are no surprises for the parents during the week ahead. They review the chores finished last week. And perhaps most importantly, they budget all of their expenses an entire year in advance! The kids are involved in the process of reconciling the bank accounts to the books.
The Bells tell me they have seen amazing growth in their kids. They pitch in because they seem to understand that their family is a community and each of them plays a key role. They've learned the value of a dollar and are very careful with their money. There's less fighting, arguing and nagging.
I read a lot of advice from experts online who agree with the Bells and their family meetings. They suggest you start early. When kids get older, they tend to be more negative about beginning activities. Create an agenda, and take notes. Praise the kids and make the meetings fun. The Bells start each meeting with prayer and end with snack and family game night.
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