I just wasn't in the mood for a battle today.
Perhaps you know the type of battle to which I am referring?
The battle that ensues when you try to teach your children the value of work.
(Sidenote: if getting your kids to do their chores does not result in a battle for you more often than not...please don't comment. :) I'm not in the mood to hear that right now. Perhaps tomorrow, but not today.)
The decision was made sometime around 9:00am - just after I discovered that one of our tenant's rent check's had bounced (not the tenant that I was concerned about either) - -and just after Kenzie climbed Brynnley's dresser - subsequently pulling the entire thing over and trapping herself underneath it.
Sure, I could have gone through the usual routine, but I just wasn't in the mood. The usual routine takes forever and ends up with argument after argument. It entails a lot of, "but it's not MY job, and I didn't make the mess!"
Today, it was just easier to do the sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, sink/bathroom cleaning and laundry myself. Not only was it easier, but things are cleaner than they would otherwise be.
Am I short-changing my kids? Was it a good decision to let them play outside and make a mess downstairs while I worked? Will it cause irreversible damage to their little "entitled" selves? Do I value the importance of teaching kids to work any less? Do I no longer subscribe to the theory, "you-do-it-because-you-live-in-this-house-and-that-is-what-families-do--work together-philosophy?"
I still believe all those things.
But I also believe that for us, today, I made the right decision.
5 comments:
Oh, Tacie, I do believe you and I lead parallel lives. I could have totally written this post myself. We typically have the same Saturday morning "chores", or battles (more accurately). Yet today when, due to extenuating circumstances, the kids did not have to do their full checklist but were given a shortened version (you'd think they'd be thrilled that they didn't have to "clean" a toilet or "mop" a floor) there was still much weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. And you're right--when the kids do it you feel like you should follow right behind them with a bucket and paper towels anyway. what's the point?!? Good for you for simply not dealing with it today!
Coming from a kindred spirit who trapped her kids in a bedroom after having to restrain herself from physical altercation with said kids after a chores argument, let me say that you are doing **just fine**. My kids, while locked in the room, decided that they all want to move to Grandma's house. Like she won't make them work. . . sheesh. That little incident was just over *vacuuming one room.* Life is so hard. For everyone. Hang in there. And enjoy your clean house today!! :)
Sometimes I actually enjoy the mundane tasks of house work. It keeps my mind free to wander! I bet you made the right choice!
Monday for me was DITTO! I just couldn't do it yesterday. It didn't even matter that the room I started cleaning was the next room they destroyed. It just doesn't matter sometimes.
I just done catching up on your blog, it sounds like I'm reading a book about my own life....I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one!
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