Time for Chores

It is my though especially in the summer to try and get chores done through the week so that we can enjoy the weekends.  While that might not always happen, it is a good goal and habit to get into.

This was one of those Saturdays where I was trying to fit in everything I couldn’t fit in throughout the week.  As I walked into my son’s bathroom and started scrubbing the baseboard and around the bottom of the toilet, I thought to myself – wonder if this would be a good time to teach Gavin how to help scrub.  Having a helper wouldn’t be bad, but what is a good age to get kids into more involved chores?

I remember as a kid having to dry dishes, pull weeds, sort laundry, clean bathroom, and scrub the walls for spring cleaning.  It was funny that drying dishes was the biggest pain as in the summer time we couldn’t go back outside until they were done. Being paired up with my brother Glenn was the worst as he was slow and my sister Nancy was the fastest so she was the best bet if you wanted to get done quickly.  My favorite to help with was making Bisquick drop biscuits for dinner.

My son Gavin is 7 ½.  He has been pulling in the trash and recycle bin each Monday for a while now and has decided to go to two of the neighbors and pull theirs in as well.   He calls it “his duty.”  So I know from this that he is not opposed to helping. 

We use green products so I wasn’t too worried about the cleaners.  I was more worried if it was the right thing to do.  He is a great helper when it comes to putting items in the recycle bin, carrying in a grocery bag, dusting, setting the table, collecting weeds as we pull them, and picking up sticks in the yard.  

So I called out to Gavin who was playing the Wii.  Without hesitation he came upstairs to help.  I decided to wipe down one side of the baseboard, scrub the base of the toilet, and the floor to show him how it should look.  

With scrubber in hand he went to work.  I was impressed!  No griping, no giving me the “it is icky” statement or anything except getting it done.  He did a good job.  

It was time to move onto the toilet.  Showing him once again how to do it and pointing out all the particulars to watch for like under the rim – he went to work and got it done. He was so excited to help that he said “wow it’s my first time scrubbing the toilet!”   I gave him a big hug, told him how great of a job he did, thanked him and sent him back downstairs to play.  

I could have made him do more, but in my mind why. Why ruin a great experience with making him do a bunch more the first time.  Some parents are too easy some are too hard when it comes to kids and chores.   I feel it is important to teach your kids the necessary skills to help make them responsible.

I was very impressed with Gavin’s reaction and was happy that the decision to teach him to clean something that is not always so easy and a fun job worked out.   

My parents would be proud.