I think we're hitting a groove. This week wasn't perfect but it was still smoother than all the ones before. The morning housekeeping is going especially well.

I made the kids' breakfast and as we finished I gave them each the chore assignment I needed them to do. Nobody complained. As I walked away from the table my 4 yr old daughter was unloading the dishes. My 6 yr old daughter was bringing a basket of laundry to the living room to fold. And, my 6 yr old son was starting to vacuum the stairs. I cleaned the bathroom upstairs and by the time I came back down they were mostly finished.

This was a moment never before experienced in my house for the previous 19 years. I was far too lenient as a parent of our older two boys. This time around I'm requiring the kids to meet my expectations by teaching them patiently, but relentlessly, to be contributors to our household. (I started teaching them each how to unload and load the dishwasher back in July.)

I thought this morning was perfect but then, this evening, while running to pick up the 15 yr old son from the stable he works at, my 6 yr old daughter noticed she was running low on clean clothes and started her laundry in the washer. When I got home she casually mentioned to me that while doing this she'd moved over the previous load into the dryer. (I nearly swooned.)

So, glory hallelujah, we are getting there! Our home will be a clean, happy place to live and work and learn!