As a mother I appreciate chores more.... and I'm definitely a fan of the chore chart, chore wheel. I even made one up for my dorm in college... we had weekly inspections and once we made a chart everyone just did their part and we didn't panic about the inspection.
But as a child. Chores in a large house, with a large family.... Typical chores like dishes and laundry.... but mum had systems.. Mum is a firm believer in systems. She also did a fair bit during the day while we were at school... she must have because our laundry buckets were always ready for delivery. I enjoyed hanging out laundry... still do. I enjoyed vacuuming... still do. I enjoyed collecting the eggs... still do. I enjoyed washing the cars... still do. but beyond that.... I didn't enjoy taking out the garbage... still don't. I didn't enjoy washing dishes in the sink... still don't (but they have to get done). I didn't enjoy mopping the floors... still don't. I didn't enjoy taking out the compost... still don't. I didn't enjoy making the powdered milk... non issue now! whew! I never had to do the burning barrel.... I'm sure I didn't want to either... still don't. I didn't enjoy weeding the garden... but now there is great satisfaction in it!
I also never mowed the grass.... oddly enough this I love to do... in fact last summer I was as giddy as a school girl, when I got my first non-electric, non-gas powered, push mower.... I have to wrestle the kids for a turn to mow!
I can distinctly remember vacuuming the stairs one day. I was using the old bullet vac of course and doing each tread carefully and then arriving at the landing I hadn't bothered to bring any attachments to do a large area so doing it it with the little hose.... I don't know what came over me next.... but the wooden area that was exposed... (this must have been before they were recarpeted with the 'plum' carpeting)... on that bit of exposed wooden area of stair tread... I carved my name with the metal vacuum end into the wood.... Why aren't children savvy enough to know they should carve someone else's name?
I remember taking the compost out one day... it stunk... I didn't want to take it and had likely put it off so when I finally grabbed the bucket and headed down the basement stairs and it spilled down every step... the last thing I wanted to do was have to pick it back up.. ICK!!! So I confess now... 20 years later.... that I blamed it on the sweet little visiting 18 month old niece, Bailey!
Odd socks in front of a movie... oddly... I've never made my children do them... but I love to match socks... it's one of those odd quirks I guess... I have very few odd socks in my house and have always matched the socks as they come out of the laundry. In fact until I was converted to using the dryer for the fiddly load... I used to match them as I hung them up to dry!
(look forward to my laundering blog coming soon!)
Nowadays I like to think that it is my responsibility to teach my boys to be domestic assistants who will be assets to a future wife... I also hope that in providing such nice helpful boys.. I'll get wonderful daughter in laws in return.... I also believe it is my responsibility to teach my daughter to clean as she goes and to just get in there and get it done. It takes less time and energy to just get in there and get something done than to whine and complain about having to do it... And she better find a fellow who gets in there and helps! Now granted I want all of them to know that running a home requires all members participation... So we split our home into 6 segments. On the first of the month we rotate... We tried daily and weekly but honestly in order to truly learn a task a month is needed and I don't have to constantly wonder who should be doing what? So if it is a task you don't care for... don't worry.. it will be 6 months before it rolls around again.
- Dining Room, Dishwasher, Dog care
- Living Room, Bathrooms, Garbages, Cats care
- Family areas, (Den, Playroom), Chicken care
- Mudroom, Porches, Entries, Cars, Rabbits
- Kitchen, Vacuuming, Lunches
- Office, Laundry, Outside tidy
I also have to be aware of who is doing each task and remember that I can't expect Duncan to do as tidy and thourough a job as I can of Caleb or Sarah... but that if he's doing his best I can not go around behind him and do it again... as difficult as it may be at times!
As I said at the beginning.. chores are a necessary evil and don't take as long as you ever think...
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