Getting kids to help with housework is like pulling teeth at the best of times, but sometimes it’s just not worth the effort, or the nagging. Chances are they will do half a job anyway and you will need to go over it all again. I must admit that my kids don’t help out around the house as much as they should and I know that I am to blame for that.
But every now and again they do offer to help usually at a cost, and when this happens I must admit I do make the most of it. Today my twins have been busy cleaning up their bedrooms, dusting and putting toys away. The catch is that they want some new toy, the latest version of the tamagotchi and so in order to raise funds they have offered to do odd jobs around the house. Tomorrow they are going to wash and vacuum my car. I’m sure my husband will make the most of this and will most likely get them to rake up the leaves in the front garden as well.
When I was growing up we were expected to help out around the house all the time. We cleaned and ironed, we helped with the gardening the shopping, you name it we were expected to do it. I guess that’s why my children are able to get away with not doing anything I think sub consciously it is me rebelling against my parents.
Yet I can see the value of the chores we were expected to do now that I am a mother. It taught me a lot more than I could have ever thought back then when I was complaining about dusting the lounge room, or sweeping the driveway. It taught me that in life you have to work for every thing that you get, a lesson I am not at all sure my own children have any concept of.
If only there was some medium, some way to get the messages of life across to our children without having to go to the extremes.
5 minutes more please 