chores

Today Z asked if there were any more chores she could do. She told her father she liked all the chores we had her do to pay for the ripped book.

I laughed and I told her that she used to like do doing the laundry too. She didn't believe me at first. But I told her how she used to ask to sort the laundry and was so excited and proud of herself to do "mommy work". ( I know that sounds sexist, but hey, what can I do? I do do the laundry.)

She then informed me that "But I know that I am going to keep liking these chores."

*hee hee*

Little kids are cute.

But seriously, I think it is worth thinking about. Play is the work of children. But real work is just another experience to them. Some work can help them to feel useful and like a "grown-up". I am not sure how this can continue to into teen years though.

It has always been important to us that Z help out and learn to be useful around the house without complaining. Sometimes she does drag around when it is time to do her chores in the morning. But then I have a little talk with her about having a positive attitude and how her Pere goes to work everyday and works so hard for us and how negative talk really makes it worse, etc. and she gets it and does her best to get her chores done without complaint. I am not sure if what we are doing will pan out and that she will be the kind of person who just does what needs to be done with a kind of Zen understanding. but I hope so.

Hmmm, maybe I should do some research on this. I know that Raymond Moore talks about children and work in his books.