Book SummaryCheaper by the Dozen, by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Cheaper by the Dozen

The Gilbreth family employed a unique approach to household management and child-rearing.

Drawing on their expertise in engineering and efficiency, the Gilbreths applied these principles to effectively manage their home and raise their children.

The narrative reveals the unique strategies the authors' parents used to bring up their brood of twelve offspring. Father were both efficiency experts in the field of industrial engineering, focusing on the study of motion economy and scientific management principles. The pair firmly believed that methods used to boost efficiency and productivity in the workplace could similarly be utilized in the running of their household and the raising of their children.

The offspring were regularly subjected to a myriad of inventive strategies and experiments their father employed to enhance all facets of domestic life, leading to a unique and occasionally disorderly childhood. The authors recount both the benefits and drawbacks of this unusual lifestyle, revealing a mix of admiration, amusement, and occasional resentment towards their parents' methods.

The Gilbreth family implemented principles of industrial efficiency to manage their household, using diagrams that charted workflows and metrics to measure performance in order to optimize routine tasks and processes.

The Gilbreth family's home functioned with a level of efficiency more commonly observed in factory environments. The family patriarch harbored an intense enthusiasm for maximizing productivity in every aspect of their home life. The authors recount how their father insisted that every child mark the charts in the bathroom with their initials after completing their morning and evening rituals. The charts meticulously recorded every activity, ranging from dental hygiene to bed-making, to guarantee consistent completion of each task.

The Gilbreth clan applied their expertise to improve efficiency and workflow, particularly by employing a method called Motion Study, which helped them organize and optimize household chores. The narrative describes how their father recorded their dishwashing techniques to scrutinize the process and determine ways to eliminate unnecessary movements, thereby enhancing efficiency. The father was so dedicated to efficiency that he used two shaving brushes simultaneously to quicken his daily shaving routine.

The children were required to engage in domestic tasks and follow the family's strict schedules.

All the Gilbreth children were required to take part in household chores. The authors recount how their father, who advocated for constructive competition, frequently motivated his children by suggesting they compete to offer the lowest bid for atypical chores like painting the porch or removing stumps, rewarding the one willing to undertake the task for the smallest amount of money. The children would each privately offer their own price for the task, thereby cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset and a robust feeling of accountability.

The approaches used by the Gilbreth household often clashed with the wishes and inclinations of the offspring. The system emphasized adherence to schedules and completion of tasks, sometimes leaving little room for individual expression or relaxation. The children often participated in their...

Cheaper by the Dozen Summary The methods the parents used to optimize tasks and scrutinize actions significantly influenced their household.

The family of Gilbreth applied their industrial engineering skills to every aspect of their home life.

Frank Sr. perceived no boundary between his career in industrial engineering and his role as a parent. He considered his household a captivating and intricate endeavor that could be enhanced by applying principles that streamline processes and analyze movements. The writers portray a humorous, albeit at times overwhelming, environment where their home became the experimental lab for their father's unyielding quest to enhance the efficiency of every aspect of their existence.

The family applied methods to enhance productivity and simplify routine household tasks, including personal hygiene, getting dressed, and mealtime activities.

The book details the ways in which their father utilized principles of motion study to enhance the productivity of everyday activities. He meticulously documented how long it took to complete different tasks, like fastening vests, and investigated diverse methods to decrease the duration required for these activities. He required his children to adhere to a strict routine he created for lathering and rinsing during their bathing...

Cheaper by the Dozen Summary The Gilbreth family's lifestyle deviated significantly from the norm, engaging in unique activities.

The family of Gilbreth led a dynamic and energetic life, focusing on the analysis of movements and the perpetual pursuit of enhancing themselves.

The family of Gilbreth led a life that intentionally diverged from the conventional, including a wide variety of activities. Frank Gilbreth Sr. instilled in his children a zeal for acquiring knowledge and a readiness to embrace new adventures. They frequently joined their father on his work trips and actively engaged in his research into the optimization of movement.

The Gilbreth family often traveled to different locations, and their children usually accompanied them on trips related to work and studies that concentrated on analyzing movements.

The authors describe numerous family trips, both within the United States and abroad. They recount their adventures involving the entire family, encompassing road trips as well as journeys by sea and train. The belief held by their father that his offspring ought to engage in a wide variety of pursuits frequently transformed his work-related projects into family-inclusive affairs. The children frequently accompanied him to work locations, where they observed the application of...