We’re two thirds through the summer so I feel like I can safely update on how our zone cleaning is going. If you missed the first post describing our system, find it here. First of all, it’s still going! That’s a win in my book since most of my efforts at chore charts have ended by the 2nd week.
Here are a few photos of zones in action:
I show these photos as they are because I want to be transparent that our house isn’t magazine ready at all times just because we’re doing zone cleaning. It’s not perfect for sure, illustrated by the boy practicing the piano in pajamas (and my clutter all over) even though getting dressed is higher up on his list. I’m focusing on the fact that the boy is PRACTICING. The amount of music progress we’ve made since the charts came out is staggering and worth the whole effort by itself.
So what’s working?
- The fact that we have a consistent plan. The boys are thriving on the consistency and are helping to hold each other accountable in a mostly good natured way.
- I have passcodes on all the devices (except for the shared chrome book they use for school.) Even the ones they bought with their own money. So they have to bring it to me before they can get on it, which means I have the chance to ask if they are done with their zones.
- The boys are getting a lot of pride out of their zones. Check out this facebook post:
5. We had a fail one day where I caught all the brothers in a dark room under a blanket watching a video on the Chromebook. The video was on my approved list but nobody had done anything on their list. They were all still in PAJAMAS! It was 9am and I gathered up every electrical device in the house and locked them in my room. I was like, “Bummer. I’m so sorry this happened. Don’t worry, tomorrow we start again. You can have everything back tomorrow, after your zones are done, as long as you get today’s zone work done too.” There was weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. It’s the kind of day that you PRAY for when you are doing a system like this, because they knew I meant business and that I WOULD follow through. We’ve never had a problem like this again.
6. I’ve had the opportunity to teach them how to do some new chores that they hadn’t done before. Like secrets about getting the pink mold out of the bathroom, how to clean the shower without getting your hands dirty, and what it means to be truly clean. Plus they’ve finally learned where all the dishes go in the kitchen! I try really hard not to be too picky, but after we’d been going several weeks, I started doing inspections and sending kids back to redo sub-par work.
7. This is the most consistent we’ve ever been with reading and music practice!!!
What’s not working?
- I can’t remember the order of the zones and the boys often can’t find their paper on Sunday when it’s time to trade. I’m constantly asking, “Who’s in this zone?” It would help if I had a row of nails for them to hang their clipboards on when not in use. Then we could find them easily and I could see who goes where. It would also help if I made up a file with all the zone assignments for the year.
- The list is pretty overwhelming for Grant (he’s 7 with some sensory issues.) Some days it makes him want to curl up in a fetal position and never get out of bed. I often work his zones with him, teaching him how to do things along the way. He does help and as long as he’s working too, I’m fine with it. I’m thinking about making separate, shorter zone sheets for him to rotate through that are different from his older siblings.
- Since the kids are able to pick and choose what to work on in their zones, several items never get done….like cleaning around the base of the toilets, scrubbing the bath tub or wiping down the cabinet fronts.
- Sometimes the work is just poorly done and I have to send them back to do a decent job. This definitely takes more management than it seems. The boys will get lazy and not set a timer, do a 5 minutes job in their zone and think they are done. I have to be consistent with accountability on spending a good quality 20 minutes in their zones. The more consistently I check on them the less likely they are to try to get away with stuff. In the beginning I had to check every time, and I used it for a chance to give them atta-boys as often as I can. Now I only have to check a few times a week. Because they never know when an inspection will pop up, they do good work most of the time.
- Sometimes I need help later in the day with emptying the dishwasher or setting the table. Invariably the boy asked to help says, “That’s not my zone.” or “I already did my 20 minutes.” They are not allowed to respond to me that way when given a direct request and in the scheme of the amount of work required to run our house 20 minute is NOTHING. So we’ve had a lot of correction to do in this area and it’s still a work in progress.
What do you think? Do you have any chore tips or stories for us?
How do you get rid of the pink mold? It’s on ongoing problem in my shower. Ten years in this house and my shower is NEVER clean. I’ve tried everything.
Renee, Pink mold is awful isn’t it? It still forms at our house, but only if I let more than a few days pass between quick cleans. We have a 2 part system that we aren’t super consistent with. 1st is when it’s present already I use Melaleuca’s Tub and Tile bathroom cleaner on it. My bathroom tool of choice is a dish sponge, the kind on a plastic handle that you fill with soap. I don’t fill it with anything for the bathroom cleaning, just use the handle and the non-scratch pad to clean with. We also use a toothbrush to get into the cracks. When the scrub bad is worn out we replace the sponge head. 2nd To keep it from forming, keeping moisture at bay is a must. Ideally the tub and shower area would get a squeegee rub down after each use, then a spray of daily shower cleaner (I use Melaleuca’s non-toxic “no work” shower cleaner.) I have a lot of kids and only the adults seem to do this, but even that little bit does help. We also tend to get pink mold around the sink drain if the sink has a drip. I have the kid in that zone wipe the sink and counter daily to keep it at bay.
Thanks for replying. Yes, I’ve noticed it gets worse if it’s wet in the shower…i.e. the shower is dripping. There is only two of us, but only one of us does any cleaning. (You can guess who that is…lol).
I need to be more diligent about the every day thing. I did buy some cleaner from the janitorial supply that did seem to work, but I didn’t use it daily. I’m dealing with a 63 year old house and tile that’s at least 30 years old. At least it’s white tile and not a funky color from the 80’s…like pink or seafoam green! My half bath has the original pale yellow and robin egg blue from 1955 and it’s in perfect condition.
My kids have daily chores similar to this. I only change the chore lists 3 times a year—beginning of school year, at semester, and at summer break. I found that helps them to really master a chore that they are learning before moving on. Also, it easier for me to catch the chores that get the minimums, as after a few weeks, it’s very obvious. Also, the kid that follows the one that tends to slack off the most doesn’t always bear the brunt of someone else’s less than stellar work.
We also have zones! And we would never keep up with papers, hah! I bought four small dry erase boards and wrote the work of our four zones on them. They are up on the wall. Once a week I just erase the names on the boards and rotate.