Secret Service

Since moving to this tiny apartment life has become easier and more complicated.  We have a lot less stuff here so the messes we make are pretty small.  However because the space we occupy is also small the mess seems really big.  I decided we needed a chore list to keep the apartment tidy.  The kids could earn stickers (or points for those to big for stickers) for the chores they do around the house. 

We have started with a really easy list.  Each kid is required to keep their room clean, pick up their clothes off the bathroom floor (I believe this must be the hardest one because it is never done), homework, reading, dishes or living room and then I asked them each to do a "secret service."  I didn't really know where that would go because nothing can be secret in this tiny little place but it has been a fun little thing.  Isaac will sneak into Emma's room and do something for her and then he is so excited to see how she will react when she sees the good deed.  Emma will get started on something and then spend an hour or more working on it because she realizes how appreciated it will be.  I have also noticed a little less snapping at each other.  The other day Emma was in the kitchen and noticed Isaac in her room.  She was about to yell at him for breaking the cardinal rule and then realized he was doing something nice for her. 

I have really enjoyed watching my kids do service for on another and every once in a while Shawn and I are blessed by their good deeds.