Systems

My sister Angela is very into "systems". She has blogged about her systems several times and is great at implementing new systems to keep her family running smoothly. Since she is my main example-in-action for running a larger family smoothly, I try to exemplify her. So I try to implement systems. But they don't seem to be my strong suit. Or, maybe it's just that my kids are younger and therefore not quite as able to join in the systems (I do have to brag that I have a very good napping system for my kids).
Anyway - all this rambling is just me getting to the point where I say - I implemented a great system the other day for Naomi. I've been meaning to get her going on a better big-girl, do-it-yourself morning routine for a while now. So I looked at chore charts online. I didn't really find anything that I felt like would work for us, so I took it into my own hands. I found pictures to represent each of the things she needs to do in the morning and I taped them to the mirror in her bathroom. She LOVES it. She loves that she is in charge of it all by herself. She loves to run back into the bathroom and check what is next "on her list". It is working great! Someday maybe I'll make it a little fancier - but this way I figure I can fine tune it without investing that much time. Each morning that she does her "list" by herself, she gets to put a rock in a cup and when the cup is full Daddy gets to take her to Chuck-E-Cheese. (Mommy doesn't go to Chuck-E-Cheese. Ever.)
Here are some pictures of Naomi and her list in action.

Brush teeth, wash hands, get dressed, do hair, make bed. That is her list.

I feel that I need to add a disclaimer about the bathroom's decor. Here it is...ICK! It's gross 80's wallpaper. It was not my choice. Someday (when I have money and spare time) it will be ripped down. Enough said.