Lately, the chores haven't been getting done around the house or at least not quick enough. I have neglected these chores because it's the last thing I want to do after a day of homeschooling or a day full of classes and all the work that goes with it. The dust is thick on my shelves, the soap scum is creeping its way into my life and I can't even keep up with all those spiders who have been building their little webs all over the place. I take one down and five more are built! How does one compete? Well, at least they put them in inconspicuous places. I can't even begin to tell you how much I miss having a dishwasher!
I keep thinking about how nice it would be to have a maid. Eventually I came up with a solution! Why not have the kids help around the house? Why didn't I make them help out before? That's what having kids is all about ain't it? No, seriously I should have been better at giving my kids some chores to do around here besides cleaning their rooms and doing homework. I could really use 2 extra pairs of hands now more than ever. When I was their age I had to clean the whole house. So, I am putting these two perfectly good teens to work!
I'm with you. I think I've had "chores" ever since I could walk. haha! I learned a lot about serving others, and what it meant to truly "love" someone (namely Christ) through all of our serving actions; knowing that all-in-all, the things we do ought to glorify Him for His sacrifice for us.
ReplyDeleteGoodness, Gen, I can't believe you weren't already doing this! I think doing chores is important, if only because it teaches them responsibility. It's also important that they know these basic life skills so they aren't bums when they get to college and/or have their first apartment! :) My brother and I did the dishes every night (we took turns who had to wash the pans, since they didn't go into the dish washer and we both hated it), and once a week we cleaned the bathroom, vaccuumed/mopped all the floors in the house, and did the laundry. In the summers, I did the bathroom and he mowed the grass. (Caveat: we did get an "allowance" as payment for this work around the house, which I think is also wise because it taught us how to be responsible with money--that way my parents didn't "give" us money when we wanted to go out with friends or to the movies, etc.) If there were other projects going on, whether cleaning or cooking or whatever, we were always expected to help out. We never got away with sitting, playing, or reading while others were working.
ReplyDelete-Elizabeth