I’d like to report on our “quote of the week” last week that I was hoping might miraculously mend some bad habits around here:
Report: It didn’t work…at all. Darn it!
Hmmmm. Maybe I need to get more dramatic.
Maybe next week it’ll read, “your mother charges $1 per dirty sock she has to pick up.”
It’ll be my get-rich-quick scheme.
Or even better: “Every dirty sock left out equals four heaping helpings of green veggies.”
Yeah, that’ll get ’em.
I have been reading your blog for a few months now, it is fantastic! I am glad I am not the only one with the sock problem, I find them in the weirdest places.
You could do a variation on a bribe–I mean, incentive–that my friend shared with me for road trips: Start out with a roll of quarters for each kid, and each time they say "Are we there yet?" or "How much longer" they lose a quarter, and whatever is left when you get to the destination they get to have for spending $$.
You could change that around for the house and take a quarter each time you pick up their dirty sock.
Thank you for your wonderful blog!!!
I had the same problem at our home and I decided that it was time to make the socks disappear. I would pick them up each time and tuck them away until my seven year old couldn't find any socks for school and I made her find some dirty ones from the day before and its amazing that she knew where to find them. I know its disgusting but it seemed to do the trick . I now only let her rotate between two pair because I do laundry every day with 8 kids.
I had a "sock blow-up" just this last week. it turned into…"any item of clothing that is not put away at any given time that I walk in your room or anywhere, for that matter earns the clothing a trip to a garbage sack in my closet" They get to do a nice big chore to get each item back.
So far, so good.
I think it's a variation on the gunnie sack from when I was a kid. My mom was a big fan of the eyres:)
I think you would appreciate this post I did on invisible baskets
http://childreninducedinsanity.blogspot.com/2010/02/invisible-baskets.html
I so wish I was back at an age where socks on the ground didn't phase me. What would it be like to be that age again. sigh!
I just got back from TOFW. YOUS and your Mother talks was just want i need to hear. Everything you spoke on was for me. : ) I left TOFW knowing that there is room for hope in the midst of mothering as I let go of the guilt and focus on being my own best kind of mom."
Oh and i am going to have my family come up with a Family Motto.
And i am also going to have " A quote of the week". I have a chalkboard at the bottom of our kitchen stairs, So every day my family will see the "quote of the week"
Lol. No kidding. In our house pairs of socks go missing. It's like our drier eats half of the pair, so we're left with dozens of mismatched socks.
I've started charging $.25 for every time I find the shampoo open and leaking in the shower. The older boys have caught on, my five year old may never get paid an allowance again…sadly he has the personality type that doesn't seem to care!!
Shawni—so fun to meet you at TOFW. I feel so buoyed up by all of the amazing mothers I was able to rub shoulders with. Your family is an inspiration. Thanks for letting me peek into your life through your blog : )
I actually do charge 25 cents for socks I find lying around in wierd places in the house. Try it for a week. Guarnateed to work after awhile..good luck
love it girl. and I loved time out for women in spokane. you rocked it. thanks for being there.
Collect all the dirty socks, put them in a bag and let them go a few days without any socks. I'm tellin' ya it'll work.
My problem isn't getting them to put the socks in the hamper, it's that they are always inside out. What up with that?
I have never been so grateful that we are now entering the flip flop/sandal time in Ontario.
There really is no solution. I guess we'll miss it when they leave home.
How about:
Socks found on floor may end up on your pillow tonight.
Lots of love,
Mom
My mum used to say she was going to charge me $1 for every pair of shoes I left at the front door. It didn't work because she never made me pay up, but I think I might've stopped if she had! When she started hiding them I managed to put them away properly! 🙂
You always have up the most beautiful photos of your family!! – If I lived closer than on the other side of the world I'd be asking you or Elle to be our family photographers! 🙂
This is why I love summer so much…flip flops!!
sorry, I don't know if even that would work — nothing has worked yet on my kids (or my husband) to get them to put their socks in the hamper. 🙂
My mom always collected the socks throughout the week and kept them in a bag. Then at the end of the week, she would sort out the dirty socks to who they belong. Then you had to wash all your dirty socks that mom collected by washing them the old fashion way with a bar of soap and the washing board. After a couple weeks of that, we learn to pick up our dirty socks because it was not fun washing them by hand!