Team Elvis Solves the Problem of the Undone Chores

When I was a child I dreamed of growing up and having a maid to do all my housework. That dream never came true... Instead I have Team Elvis to make sure our home is clean and organised. We all clean floors and toilets, vacuum carpets, empty bins, hang washing... even me, who doesn't particularly like these sorts of tasks. The girls make sure I work too.

I soon realised that a team works better when there's a plan to coordinate efforts and our plan has always been the roster. But...

Our chores roster hasn’t been working very well for quite some time. I wrote it a few years ago and things have changed around here. The boys have grown up and are now employed. They aren’t always home when the jobs need doing. Sometimes the bathroom doesn’t get cleaned or the recycling piles up because no one takes it out to the bin… I’ve been meaning to reassess the situation for a long time.

This morning, we discovered a couple of jobs undone as usual. Of course, both boys weren’t home. “I really must look at that roster,” I said for the hundredth time.

This afternoon, while I was working on the computer, voices filtered into my room from the kitchen.

"We need to take Callum off the roster as he's working full time. He can still help Sophie whenever he’s home.”

“We could give Sophie Callum’s bathroom jobs and promote Gemma-Rose to Sophie’s.”

“If we give one person a 'mother's choice' job each day that'll cover all the odd jobs that crop up."

“I don’t want to do that job two days running!”

The girls were writing a new roster using an Excel spreadsheet, and as they seemed to have everything under control, I remained quietly in the bedroom.

An hour later, the roster was complete. Imogen had colour coordinated the jobs. They asked to use my printer, borrowed Andy’s laminator… and voila! We have a new roster.

“It should work,” said Imogen. “We wrote it together. Everyone has had their say. I listened to everyone’s suggestions and complaints. Everyone is happy.”

Sophie certainly looks happy. “I’ve been promoted! I’ve now got more jobs. I’m doing the same amount of chores as the bigger girls… and a big weekend bathroom job too. I get to clean the showers!”

With all that team work and problem solving, the house should run smoothly. I’m really pleased I don’t have to worry about the chores. But should I worry about Sophie? More chores? Cleaning showers? I don’t think she’s normal.

And is a roster normal for a family that calls themselves unschoolers? Surely we can't in truth call ourselves unschoolers? I've thought about this carefully and really I don't care. The house is clean. Everyone is happy. What does it matter if we break the rules? We shall be rebel unschoolers and not radical unschoolers.


Or perhaps we don't need a label at all. We have a name of our own. We are Team Elvis.


I am sure that what works for us, won't work for everyone else. We are all different. Every team needs its own housework plan. I'd love to hear yours.