Household Chores

One of the legacies that Jeff and I want to leave our kids is the ability to work hard and to take responsibility for themselves. So, in our household, everyone has jobs to do. Some jobs are for pay--so the kids learn that hard work pays off. And some jobs are to be done for no pay--so the kids learn that they have a contribution to make in this family and that there are some things that have to be done, whether you are rewarded for them or not.

You might think that this distribution of household chores would make my day a bit easier. But, you'd be wrong. There are things for each person to do that they are perfectly capable of--but they have to be taught, and they have to be supervised VERY closely. And, often, the task and teaching have to be repeated many, many times. A child can't see individual crumbs or pieces of trash on the floor that need to be cleaned up. Each piece must be pointed out to them. A child doesn't clean the house like a professional (or even a fairly sloppy non-professional), and often will just move the mess around from place to place, leaving as much work to be done AFTER the cleaning is done (if not more) than there was before.

As a bit of a perfectionist, it is tempting for me to say, "Oh, forget it! I'll just do it myself." After all, I can do the job faster and better and without asking a million questions about how or why it should be done. But, when that temptation comes, I have to remind myself that it doesn't benefit the kids a bit if I always step in and take over, and it doesn't really matter if the clothes are folded the "right" way or if the dishes aren't rinsed as thoroughly as I would do it. The important thing is what the kids are learning. And, they are learning!

Having the kids help out around the house doesn't really save me much time or energy at this point (though I know it will at some point in the future), but it is gratifying to know that they are learning some important skills that will serve them well, long after they have left my house. They are learning to be responsible and how to work hard--and how to enjoy it. And, as a bonus, I have the opportunity to practice patience multiple times a day.