This essay is on the book "Cheaper by the Dozen" which was written by Gilbreth and Carey. This essay shows how the two parents run their huge family like an efficient factory.

Frank and Lillian Gilbreth ran their family like an efficient factory by their organization, decision-making, and rewards. In the novel, Frank, who is the Papa, is strict while Lillian, who is the Mama, is nice and gentle. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth's way of running their family of 12 children make lots of connections to a way a factory would run. Frank and Lillian might be mom and dad but they sure ran their family in a strange way.

A way Frank and Lillian ran their family like an efficient factory is by their organization. A way they showed organization is by their job charts. A job chart was a chart on which they would have to initial their names after doing the following things; brushing their teeth, brushing their hair, making their bed, weighing themselves and then graphing it, and after doing their homework. Dad was the one who created the job chart.

Logo of the Family Research Council.

Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Sr.

Lillian Sitting on Couch

Mom wanted a place to chart prayers but dad said prayers were optional. Another way they showed organization is when they were responsible. For example the oldest children are responsible for the younger children. The middle children are responsible for themselves, and mom is responsible for the babies. An example of this from my life, is when I'm at home I am supposed to take care of my younger sister. What I do to take care of her is help her on her homework and do anything that she has trouble with. Another example of this from my life is when I am at school. I am supposed to be organized, especially in Language Arts. I think organization is really important because if you are organized you will thank yourself because you won't have to find a piece of paper out of a stack of...