Day 291 The Perfect Mom Project

When the girls were little we gave them chores at dinner time. They had to set the table and then after dinner they had to use a little brush and dust pan to sweep up the crumbs. Now that they are older, they take turns nightly, one sets the table and feeds the dog and takes her outside, while the other is responsible for kitchen clean up. Sounds simple enough doesn't it? Then why is it that almost every day there is an issue about…

1. Whose night it is to do what
   
2. What each job entails?
   

Last night as I was walking through the house I noticed that the table was not completely cleaned off, so I stepped outside to mention it to Avery, since it was her night for kitchen duty, here is what she said to me as she laid in the hammock reading, "That's not part of my job." Excuse me?! Not part of your job? So if Avery does not take care of it and Aly does not take care of it, who do you think will? That's right, Mom. Well, now I am fuming, every night as I cook dinner, I clean up as I go. I wash the pots and pans and bowls and platters as I finish with them so that there is minimal clean up. It is amazing to me how much aggravation I get over something that has to be done and always stays the same.

I have driven each of them places, picked them up from places, run things to them at school, and helped them with their laundry, plus so much more that I do not have room to write. Just once I wish that I had said, "That's not my job". But here is the fact; we are a family, and we all work together to make our family run. If I start saying "That's not my job to my kids, not much will be getting done around here. I guess it is time to have a tune up chat, where we all sit down and I remind them that everything is everybody's job here. Nobody gets a free pass. That's what family is all about. While we are having our chat I think I might lay down some summer chores for my kids to do also. It worked pretty well last summer, so I might as well keep them busy again this summer. Tomorrow is the last day of school and tonight will be the chore throw down in my living room. It is time to get a few things straight with my girls. Maybe not a great night for my kids, but it will make me happy, and as I have said before; "If Momma ain't happy ain't nobody happy!