Fair Share Chore Cards eliminate dreaded arguments among who does what chores and takes the phrase "that’s not fair" out of the housework equation by leaving chore assignments to the luck of the draw. The chore cards have helpful directions printed on each card on how to accomplish each chore safely and efficiently. The only Ace in the deck serves as a "get out of a chore free" card, giving one a lucky break from a chore.

Q & A with Robin Downes, Creator of Fair Share Chore Cards:

How did you get the idea?
As a resident of the Virgin Islands for years now, I have enjoyed housing visitors from other locations who all come here to enjoy the sun, beaches and intrinsic beauty of the Virgin Islands.  It was from this situation as a busy designer and mom, and as a host to other kids or guests, that I discovered this need to get the household chores accomplished in a playful way that would take the pressure off me from either doing them all myself, or of assigning them to others.  At day’s beginning or end, a quick draw of cards for the daily or weekly chores would be done and the duties were disseminated fairly – no complaints! 

How do your children enjoy using the cards?
Fair Share Chore Cards turn everyday housework into a game the whole family will want to play. Because chore assignments are left to the luck of the draw, it eliminates those dreaded arguments among siblings. These cards have the power to take the phrase "that’s not fair" out of the housework equation.

How can families use these cards to create habits of character?
Fair Share Chore Cards has a broad range of common tasks printed one to a card. On each card, how to guidelines cover everything from watering plants to setting the table, making a salad, ironing clothes, dusting, washing dishes, cleaning mirrors and windows, sewing on buttons, emptying trash and more.

How do the cards incorporate pillars of character (Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, Citizenship)? 
Whichever chores players are assigned, the accompanying cards promote safety, efficiency and a job well done every time.  Being able to help equally in running a household promotes the best in every family member. Each person is trusted to do their job within a deadline, they earn self respect and the respect of their family by contributing and being a responsible individual. Being helpful makes a good citizen. The main idea behind this method of distributing chores is to be fair. And of course, what better way is there to help the head of the household?


Fair Share Chore Cards Cards are currently available on eBay.  For additional information, go to www.robindownes.com or  www.fairsharechorecards.com.

Children learn to imitate at a very young age.  It's how they learn to behave, care for themselves, develop new skills, and communicate with others. From their earliest moments, children watch you closely and begin to pattern their own behavior and beliefs after yours. The example you set becomes a permanent model that will influence and often shape their attitudes and actions for the rest of their life.

Consistently demonstrating habits of character, such as gratitude, responsibility, integrity, unity and service will help build a strong sense of security and self-esteem. Additional your child will begin to feel more confident and more connected at home, school and in the community. He or she will start to feel like a leader. 

So, how can you model habits of character? Here are three simple ideas:

Take care of yourself. It's also important to take good care of yourself.  When you focus on what is best for your child, it can become easy to neglect your own needs. Your child is counting on you physically and emotionally, so it's imperative that you model for your child that taking care of yourself helps you to take care of him or her as well as your entire family.  This also shows your child that not only do you love them and the rest of the family, but you love yourself as well.  Whether you treat yourself to a night out or start your own business, you are teaching your child that you are not only a parent of character, but a person of character.

Nurture relationships. Whether your spouse, family member or friends, it's important to nurture relationship.  Let your child see you communicate in a positive and healthy manner with others. Express gratitude and show love and affection for one another so your child can begin to learn early on what healthy relationships should be like. 

Own up. Avoid making excuses for mishaps, delays and errors in judgment. Rather, own up to mistakes when you make them, and take responsibility for being open and host about these mistakes. When you take responsibility for your words and actions, you reinforce messages of integrity, trust and honest. You reinforce messages  - and habits – character.


It's important to be the person you want your child to be.  (This holds true for any relationship you have.) When you consistently demonstrate habits of character with your child, you will soon see him or her patterning many behaviors after your own.  You will see your child do as you do and as you say.

So, are you saying and doing the things you want your children to learn? 

***

Character Coach 2.0 is launching August 2, 2010. This program helps parents learn to teach their children to "do as I say and as I do" through essential habits of character while also impacting the lives of other children as a Character Clubs facilitator. For more information, please visit www.CharacterCoach.com.

It’s wedding season. How do I know? Approximately 1.4 million couples do rush to the altar to get married between June and September. And, I think my husband and I have been invited to at least 10,000 of those; and we can’t attend those 10,000 wedding without a gift. So, I recently I went shopping for our friends’ wedding. On their registry was a silver tea set ($105.00); Waterford dinnerware ($125 a place setting), Sterling Silver Condiment Set ($135) and, well, you get the picture.

Besides wondering why the soon-to-be-newlyweds think my family is growing a garden of greenbacks, I chuckled at the impractibility of their choices. Oh sure, my husband and I were no different. We received the silver gravy boat and butter dish, the giant lobster pot, a porcelain vase, the Egyptian cotton cream comforter, crystal wineglasses and more. However, had my husband and I had been as forward thinking as we claimed to be, we would’ve registered for the following:

A Dustbuster: From spaghetti to snails, there is very little this sucker can’t whisk away!
A first-aid kit: And in this kit, a bottle of Tylenol for mommy, Ben-Gay for daddy and 2000 Blue’s Clues band-aids for the kids.

A case of stain-guard and air freshener: Throw-up, gas, poop, lollipops, juice – and that’s just from the husband. A little stain guard could’ve repelled even the worst of the stains and stinks.

Earplugs: Bickering, WAAHHH, Bickering, WAAHH. I love my husband and my kids with all my heart, but sometimes I just want to disappear into the realm of silence.

A deep-freezer: Oh sure, I’d like to say that this is because I prepare gourmet meals ahead of time for my husband, but really I just would like one because those big boxes of chicken nuggets and fish sticks take up so much room in the fridge freezer.

A year’s-supply of paper plates: Real dishes equal more time cleaning and washing. Paper ones equal throwing away and nothing else. Need I say more?

Several sets of white sheets: Once those newlyweds have the joys of toilet training their future kids, they’ll appreciate the spare, interchangeable sheets.

An industrial size washer and dryer: Every registry needs one totally exorbitant request.
Lots of big towels and blankets: Everyone loves to jump out the shower into a huge, warm, cozy towel or snuggle under a giant blanket. Plus, they make the best forts!

Oh well, I didn’t ask for anything those things. I guess hindsight truly is 20/20. Now, ten-plus years and three kids later, the gravy boat and butter dish were sold at last year’s garage sale, the lobster pot has never seen a lobster but has been used as a drum, sand castle builder, bug holder and more. The vase has been put away – far, far away – from the reach of little hands. The comforter, now sporting an awful shade of olive green, has been thrown up on more times than I can count (and I can count pretty high). The wine glasses – well, the wine glasses we use. A lot.

So, indulging in the couple’s wish list and also knowing how much ketchup the average family consumes in a year, I asked to clerk to wrap up the sterling silver condiment set. And, of course, a couple wineglasses. Cheers to wedded bliss!

* * *
What are the wedding gifts you wish you had asked for? 

Decorate your life with friends!

Holy moly – it has been awhile since I’ve posted a Ten on Tuesday. Yikes! So, what’s Ten on Tuesday? It’s one of the ways I put the first habit of character, which is gratitude, into action. The concept is simple, in Ten on Tuesday, I list ten things that I’m grateful for. That’s it!

1.    BBQs: I am happy to say that last night was the first time I ever manned the BBQ all by myself. Besides almost scorching my eyelashes, it was easy and fun. And the results were delicious!

2.    Morning runs: At the beginning of the year, I started running for the first time in my life. I really enjoyed it. Then, I stopped. I’m not really sure why. I just stopped. This past week, I started running again in the mornings. I absolutely love it.

3.    Surprise gifts from vendors: Thank you EzineArticles.com for the surprise gift. I love my new coffee mug!

4.    My founding Character Coaches: I am so incredibly grateful for the team of founding Character Coaches that are supporting the growth of Character Clubs. These amazing women are building strong communities of character that will definitely inspire leadership in young people. (BTW, the official Character Coach program release is later this summer!)

5.    My mastermind group: Every two weeks, I meet with an incredible group of women to offer support and perspective on our businesses. Like them, their businesses are absolutely awesome. Check ‘em out: Namaspray, Haven Interiors, Love Struck Lingerie and Andrea Vahl Social Media Consulting.

6.    Going on vacation: It’s hard to imagine, but it had been five years since my fam had gone on a big vacation. Sure, we had visited friends and family. We took lots of weekend trips. We moved a few times. We hadn’t, though, gone on a big vacation. This past week, we did. We took the kids to Disney World. We had such a phenomenal time. It was a great way to re-connect!

7.    Santibel Island/Captiva Island: I finally found it – my own private Idaho! I fell in love with these quaint beach towns on our vacation. Hoping to return there for Thanksgiving!

8.    My husband living in Colorado full time: For those that don’t know, my husband has worked in another state for 18 months. Because of that, he was home on weekends only. Recently, he began a new job in Colorado, so he is here full-time. There is definitely an adjustment period to be had. However, it is nice to have him back.

9.    Timers: Yep, I said timers. I love technology, but one of my favorite tools is completely non-tech. It is my timer. I’m the type of person that gets easily distracted by sparkly chickens and bright shiny objects. Timers help keep those sparkly chickens at bay. Using a timer keeps me focused and accountable for the task at hand.

10.    Clarity. Having a clear line of vision as to the impact you want to make is truly empowering!

***

So, what about you? What are you grateful for this week?

Consider tomorrow, but put your energy into today.

The past several weeks have been riddled with end-of-school year stuff - picnics, parties, field trips - even a circus and a spaghetti western. Now, don't get me wrong, I love chaos; I thrive on it. But with the kids out of school and our family vacation behind us, I'm finding that my juggling act with personal and professional ambition is finding more than a few balls falling to the ground. (I’m hearing that same call from the wild from our own Character Coaches too!) So, what's a busy mompreneur - wait, let me rephrase that - what's a busy mom to do over summer break? Here are some tried and true – and a few new – tips to get through those summer months.

1.     Remember the obvious…consistent time management and organization. I hate to dwell this common theme, but it bears repeating. Manage your time and stay organized. Plan ahead by setting up a daily schedule for play and work. And, don’t forget to plan for the unexpected too – summer colds, pool parties, BBQ’s and more. Also, don’t let summer relaxation take over your organization. Stay on top of everything by practicing the rule of one touch. Whenever you touch something, either take action on it, put it where it belongs, or toss it in the trash.

2.     Go wireless with a laptop and a smart phone. With a smart phone in hand and a laptop in, well, lap you can work just about anywhere- at home, coffee shops, parks, airports, malls, pools, skating rinks and more. Nowadays, portability is key!

3.     Create a kid-friendly work space. My kids love coming into my office because there is always something new for them. All three have their own “in-box” that is filled with very important tasks – coloring pictures for my walls, workbook pages to complete, Play-doh that needs molding, mail ready to be sorted  - you know, important “work stuff.” I also like to keep them interested by placing little surprises in the “in-box” – a lollipop, new crayons, a new book, a new CD.  Whether you have an infant or a teen, create a work space catered to their needs as well as yours.

4.     Pass the buck…and the cleaning, cooking, typing and whatever else by delegating and hiring help. Help can come in many forms – a cleaning lady, a virtual assistant, a mailing list manager, a program manager, a mother’s helper, or even an autoresponder. (The more you can automate the better!) Prioritize the areas of your life and business that need you the most. Focus your attention on activities that no one else can do. Pass the rest off to someone else. You may even find that after summer break, you’ll keep passing the buck so you can spend your time making more bucks!

5.     Give your kids the green light (or red) by sharing your work expectations. There will be moments – probably more often than not – that you absolutely must get some work done. Monitor your office traffic with a green light/red light approach. Craft a picture of a traffic light for your office door and explain the rules and expectations: green means come on in, yellow means enter quietly and red means do not come in. This method is effective even with the youngest of children.

6.      Follow the rule of 5-15. Give your child five undivided minutes of your time, and they will give you 15. I don’t know how this works, but it does.

7.     Find *fun* childcare options. Spending copious amounts of time in front of the TV is not a fun, childcare option. Rather, check out the summer camps, vacation bible schools or even the Character Clubs mini-camps in your area. You also might consider a regular kid swap with another parent. Get creative and have fun!

8.     Stay ahead of the game by working ahead. Stress can take its own summer vacation when you are ahead of the game rather than behind. Take advantage of technology by utilizing auto-responders (2nd mention, folks, might be worth looking into). An auto-responder is a boilerplate message that is automatically sent after an order is placed, a subscription is received and more. My favorite is 1ShoppingCart. You might want to consider Aweber.com as well. Another method of working ahead is pre-writing articles or blogs. Those late-night working sessions are ideal for drafting your thoughts.

9.     Adopt a summer spirit and play a little hookey. Rather than stress about having your kids home; respect yourself by lowering your expectations and enjoying the time by reducing your work hours or scheduling a day off each week.

10.  Embrace chaos and cultivate connection. The more you resist; the more it persists. Regardless of your business or life, remember that there are certain chaotic truths you must deal with: the phone will always act as a child magnet; tantrums are typically thrown when you are on the call with an extremely important “non-mom” client; cats typically throw up right where you are going to step; and popsicles will always give you just five more minutes. The bottom line, chaos – all chaos - is just part of life. Rather than trying to beat it, join it by using it as a catalyst to cultivate a deeper connection with your family and business.


**Put Character into Action**
Take responsibility for your summer sanity by having some fun with your Family and Business. Make a splash at the pool, play at the park, or take a whirl around the skating rink. Taking the time to enjoy the craziness of summer leads to memorable connections with your children and renewed creativity in your business. For those of you considering becoming a Character Coach and facilitating Character Clubs, summer is a great time to relax before jumping on board with the self-study program release in August!

Can you imagine trying to find your stroller in this crazy blue parking lot? Yikes! 

I’m currently at the airport returning from a much-needed vacation with my family. (We went to Orlando to get our Disney on!) It’s hard to believe that just a week ago, I was scrambling to finish the laundry with clothing items I wanted to pack. (Unfortunately, in my haste, I mixed an aqua jacket with whites so my swim cover-up is now a nice shade of blue-green).

Anyway, one week later, I’m able to reflect on how grateful I am to travel with older children.

1.     They can pack their own suitcases (even if two of them forgot to pack up their toothbrushes!)

2.     While I was wrapping up work before we left, they were busy loading and unloading the dishwasher, cleaning up their rooms and put away laundry.

3.     They are excited enough about the trip to ask how they can help get things ready. All three made sure our carry-on bags had snacks, books and charged iPods. (They even said, “I think I should get to bed so I’m well-rested” right before we left. (Wow!)

4.     Our trip no longer was scheduled around naptime, bottles and diaper changes. Instead, it revolved around pool times, Fast Passes and snack zones.  

5.     Finally, while I sometimes miss the tender baby stage, I no longer need to bring Pack ‘n’ Plays, car seat, strollers or the kitchen sink.  (Can you imagine looking for a blue stroller in that ‘parking lot’?)

Okay, it’s time to board to get back home so I better close. I’m curious, though, what are you grateful for when traveling with kids?