A Review: Cleaning House---more than just a housekeeping book

I overlooked Cleaning House: A Mom's Twelve-Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement until I read that subtitle. Youth Entitlement. That was a subject I thought had merit.

In her book, Kay Wills Wyma shares her real-life "experiment" in helping her children overcome some of the entitlement issues that are facing most of our youth today.

I appreciate her honesty! She doesn't have it all together and neither does her children. I can learn from a real person. 

Each month she undertook a new chore or responsibility for her children. She shares stories about how the new aspect of the experiment went. She ends each chapter telling not only what her children learned that month but also what she learned that month.

She writes with humor which makes a book with some pretty deep thoughts a fun and easy read. In addition to giving her ideas, she provides ideas from her "Ironing Board" who are a group of her friends and mentors.

I highly recommend this book. 

When I first started reading, I was a little concerned about what seemed a lack of God in the content, but was pleased to see as the experiment continued, she could see and share more of God's work through it all.

Convicting and comic.
Encouraging and entertaining.
Realistic and rallying.
Honesty and humor.

Find Kay on her blog or on Facebook.


I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

Helping Hands at Home--EE Kindle Book

This month for Gabby Moms, I was able to review Mrs. Lorrie Flem's newest Kindle book Helping Hands at Home. 

Before you turn off because I wrote the word "Kindle," I just wanted to remind you that you do not have to have a Kindle to read a Kindle book. I have the Kindle app on my phone and have downloaded the Kindle app on my laptop. The apps are free. Just go to Free Kindle Reading Apps.

Now, back to the book!

Like usual, Lorrie's practicality shines through as she takes us step-by-step. I need this for ME.

I was raised by my grandparents. While they loved me   fully, they were perfectionists which meant that I couldn't do things correctly. 


I couldn't put the groceries in the grocery cart (or buggy for those of you in the South) because I wouldn't put them in the right place. 

I could only clean the hubcaps on the car because I might smudge the car.

I wasn't expected to clean the bathroom or the kitchen because I wouldn't do it right, and my grandmother would just have to do it again. At least that was what I was told. 

It made life much harder for me as a teen. My grandparents became ill, and I was expected to take over the household duties that I was never taught to do. It's remained a challenge to me to this day. 

All this left me determined not to have mija be in the same shape. She's expected to help around the house and even do certain things by herself. 

But there has been a challenge. Because I was never taught to do things, I haven't ever really considered how to TEACH mija how to clean things. I just expected her to pick things up as we went along. 

That is where Lorrie's book Helping Hands at Home has come in handy. It showed me step-by-step how to teach her to clean the bathroom and the kitchen.

It is definitely a work in progress for both her and me, but it's nice to have something as simple as this Kindle book to go back to. I really appreciate the process Lorrie teaches to take a chore from them watching you do it to you checking on their final work.

Right now, the Kindle book is only $0.99! You can't bet that.

Speaking of a great deal, Eternal Encouragement magazine has not only gone digital, it's FREE!! Just go HERE to sign up for your free digital subscription.

I received a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Using the Chore Bundle to Bring Family Harmony {Giveaway}

Don't tell anyone this, okay?


Recently, my mom and one of my sisters got into a BIG argument. Like most arguments that culminate with two adults yelling at each other on the front lawn with neighbors watching, the disagreement was in part about differences in housekeeping. 

What? Your family doesn't argue about cleaning houses?

You see, both mom and I were raised by my grandparents. They were both perfectionists. My grandmother was great at keeping the house clean before her health deteriorated, so my mom and I were never expected to do much, because, after all, if we did it, my grandmother would "just have to do it again." As such, we're not overly picky housekeepers. We both appreciate a lived in look and are not traumatized if the sofa is covered with papers and needs to be cleared off or there's a basket of clean clothes that haven't been put away. Mom, however, has a tiny-touch of hoarding mixed in. You have to understand, she was raised by parents who had just survived the Great Depression. You save anything you might have to use for later.

My sisters, on the other hand, grew up with mom. I think her little-bit of pack-rat along with lack of major housekeeping concerns made them swing the pendulum clear back the other way. Both of their homes are immaculate. If there is the slightest bit of clutter or dust....{shiver}...it's a catastrophe.

So, the two generations collided at mom's house the other day. 

I sit here typing this at a kitchen table is covered with several notebooks, a brush, a broken frisbee, books, magazines, a dirty coffee cup, dry erase board, sunglasses...I think you get the picture. I haven't given up attempting to grow and change my housekeeping ways, however. As long as I have breath, I can work on having a cleaner house and teaching my daughter the benefit of diligence and duty.

That's why when I had the chance, I chose Chores: Many Hands Make Light the Work from Eternal Encouragement. This bundle includes 6 e-books and 4 MP3 that you can listen to online or download.

Now, I've reviewed a bundle by Mrs. Lorrie Flem before and it was a blessing. The format has changed, however, and it's sooo convenient now. Instead of getting a bunch of separate documents, you now get one document with everything in it. You get all the e-books and articles back-to-back in one PDF which also includes the links to listen or download the audios. It's so easy to use and pretty. 

The contents are equally easy to use and, well, if not pretty, they will at least make your home look pretty. Keep in mind the title mentions many hands, so there are many ideas on how to teach and include your children into the cleaning process. I appreciate that help since I work at including my daughter so she isn't clueless when she grows up AND child labor is free! It's a win-win!

One thing Lorrie mentioned was the steps in teaching your child how to clean something.

1. I do, you watch.
2. I do, you help.
3. You do, I help.
4. You do, I watch.
5. You do, I inspect.
Isn't that great? You don't just assume they know or assume they get it the first time. Also, you can start at a fairly early age with this process, so by the time you watch or just inspect, you will see things actually being accomplished.

While there is a lot about children, the principles and practices still apply to cleaning as a whole. For instance, I'm more than willing to reward myself with a package of M&Ms as I sort through my magazine and paper basket!

I appreciate how practical and detailed the ideas are, but along with that, Lorrie shares the fact that how she does it may not be the way I do it. Each of us are at different places in our lives. My home with one 7-year-old will look different than Lorrie's home with 7 kids still at home. She encourages you to take her ideas and modify them for your own use.

There's a lot more I could share, but you need to get the bundle yourself to truly benefit. Here's a treat! You can actually enter to win your own bundle! First you go HERE. Second, you mention that you found out about it here on Mrs. Price is Right about Homeschooling. Lastly, you provide your name and mailing address. That's it.
Make sure to enter THE GIVEAWAY!

I am reviewing Encouraging Moments as an official member of The Gabby Moms blogging program for Eternal Encouragement magazine.  I did not receive compensation for this post and all opinions are solely my own.

Messiest Room Contest & Spring Clean by CurrClick.com

 

Isn't this the coolest idea? And it's only $2 for 3 sessions and entry into the contest! Here are the facts from CurrClick.com 

                          

 Is your room MESSY enough to win?

Do you have what it takes to get it CLEAN and then win again?
Sign up today to join the contest

General Information

Just $2 per student for 3 sessions and entry into the contest

Sessions begin March 20th
Three half hour sessions with lessons on organizational skills!

Required: Pictures of your messy room and a willingness to get it CLEAN!

A $25 gift certificate to THE CONTAINER STORE online will be awarded for the messiest room 

Another $25 gift certificate to THE CONTAINER STORE will be awarded for the cleanest room at the end of the contest!!

Contest Procedure:

• Sign up (enroll each student participating)----->  Shared room with 2 participants are accepted as one contestant.  Enroll one student only.  Prize will be shared.
  ----->  Shared room with 1 participant is accepted as one contestant.  

• Take picture of messy, untouched room and send to Ms. Lindsey on the course page

• Voting and winner for Messiest Room announced during first class session

• Attend Organization Series Classes

• Clean up room and apply learned organizational skills

• Take picture of room and pass in on the course page

Picture Details: 

• Must send a BEFORE and AFTER picture.

• Pics can be no larger than 300 by 300 px, jpeg, and no bigger than 20 KB 

• Messy Room pic deadline March 19th -- upload picture to Contest Course Page on CurrClick LIVE

• Clean Room pic deadline April 2nd -- upload picture to Contest Course Page on CurrClick LIVE

• Pictures will be shared on the course page for voting purposes

Voting Procedure:

• Voting will take place within class so you must attend to get your ballot in the box  

• Students are NOT allowed to vote for their own room  

Let the Organizing Begin!

Teaching Our Babes to Clean

I must be on a "kids and cleaning" kick.  A week ago, I posted Kids and Chores by Living on a Dime.

I think it's important to me because I was not raised that way when I was young.  It has given me challenges to this day as you can read about in my blog. 

Both my husband and I agreed a long time ago, that teaching mija to work around the house would be a priority.  This is especially true as I attempt to fulfill the role of the Titus 2:4-5 woman in the life of mija.  "...and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled."  How can I train her to "work at home" if I don't train to work at home? 

So here's a post from Raising Homemakers back in May with more ideas about starting them out right!




Teaching Our Babes To Clean



by Guest Poster on May 14, 2011 in Cleaning


Living in a family is messy business. Ok, living is messy – I can’t blame it all on everyone else! Clothes get dirty, food spills, kids squirt toothpaste all over the bathroom sink and leave it there to dry, boys miss the toilet leaving their bathroom smelling like pee, windows smear, markers and crayons leave marks on hardwood and tile and carpet.

 I’ve finally realized that I don’t have to keep up with it by myself, and more importantly I shouldn’t keep up with it myself. I do my children a disservice by cleaning up after them. Learning how to clean up after yourself, wash dishes, launder clothes, and care for your home should be a part of growing up.


I’ll be honest though — when I first began thinking about how to teach basic home skills to my kids, I was a little anxious about all the cleaners and the chemicals in them. Certain products in particular, like bleach, tile cleaner, antibacterial wipes and sprays, and glass cleaner, have toxic ingredients dangerous to breathe or ingest. I struggled (still do) with letting my children handle these products; yet at the same time I need to teach them how to be safe.


I decided to approach in in two ways.  To find out what she did, please click here.