My children were given chores to help me with the house and the lawn while they were growing up. They would do things like pull weeds, vacuum, sweep, start the laundry.... I tried many creative ways that would help inspire my children to work. I started getting my children involved in the household chores when they were at an early age. My house wasn't the cleanest on the block, in fact I wanted to put up a sign in the front room that said "Warning..... this house has been cleaned by children."
I tried to treat all of my children the same, but I think that I was guilty of spoiling Joesph for a little while. First of all, he was the youngest and 2nd, he was the only boy. I didn't think that I was spoiling him, but I would often hear people say things like, "I bet he is spoiled with all of those sisters taking care of him."
One day I found out just how spoiled he was when he was about 4 years old. I had asked the girls to get their chores done and then I gave Joe a job. I can't remember what the job was, but I knew that he would have been able to do it. It was probably something like put the silverware away from the dishwasher.
Instead of just jumping to the task, Joe gave me a puzzled look and said, "but Mom, I'm Joe!"
It was at that very moment that his life changed. I made sure that he was given a fair share of chores for his age and that he did them.
I remembered this incident today as I was driving him home from EFY. For the two weeks before he went to EFY, Joe and I worked side by side from 9 in the morning until 6 at night. We did a bunch of cleaning, organizing, mowing.... The two weeks before that, he was home by himself while I was at girls' camp and New York City. He didn't get to just sit and watch TV or play computer games like he would have wanted. Instead, he dug ditches for railroad ties across the back fence.
As I was thinking about how much I have made Joe work this summer I have come to the conclusion that because he is the youngest, and because he is the only boy he has had to work the hardest.
We have one week before we go on the youth pioneer trek in Wyoming. I am tempted to paint a room in the house but I think I will spend a little time trying to spoil Joe.
2 comments:
Maybe all boys named Joe think they are above working. Oh wait, Joe Muir is the youngest too.
I miss Joe! Well I miss everyone really... But this really reminded me of when Joe and I were little. Well I was always a little older, but we were best friends then, and he always wanted to sit by me at the table and in church. I've always had a good relationship with Joe.
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