Little Victories {Little Ones and Housework}

Grace is now 3-1/2 but since the last time I posted about little ones and housework, we really haven't made any huge strides in the chore department. We've added just a few new things.

Grace now has the following responsibilities:

1. Pick out her outfit and dress by herself. Put away her pajamas, throw dirty clothes in hamper.
2. Make her bed.
3. Clear her own dirty dishes after meals.
4. Help me load the dryer.
5. Clean up her own messes and help Leah with hers.
6. Set the dinner table. (I make the plates, napkins and glasses accessible for her and she does the rest.)
7. Empty both bedroom and bathroom garbage bags. Replace with clean bags.
8. "Helps" vacuum and mop.

Leah's responsibilities:

1.   Carry the napkins to the hamper after dinner. (Work in progress)
2. Clean up her own messes.

Our latest victory with Grace was learning to make the bed.  When we first started, she would cry and give up.  I would help her, but then I realized that she wasn't really making the effort that she could.  So I simply told her that I  wasn't going to help her, but I knew that she could do it all by herself.  I stood nearby to step in to offer advice and encouragement. She wasn't happy, and when she finished, it wasn't perfect, but she had done it all by herself.  I made a huge deal about how good of a job she had done, and told daddy when he got home from work what a big girl Grace has become.

The next day, I told Grace to make her bed while I cleaned up the kitchen after breakfast.  You can imagine my shock when I went into her room a while later to see her bed made (see picture above)!  I had been hoodwinked into thinking her bed-making abilities were sub-par, but now I know better...

My goal is not just to teach my girls how to do a job, but to foster initiative.  I want them to see what needs to be done and do it, not wait for me to tell them.  I know I need to be an example of this and I think a daily routine helps, but I would love to hear any other suggestions!