Every once in a while I look around here and realize that some people in this house just aren't pulling their weight.  That's when I get motivated to bring out a new edition of the Chore Chart.

Naturally, the kids don't like it when the Chore Chart appears.  But it's got to be done, because it's not my job to do every single little thing around here.

My eight-year-old disagrees with that last statement.  He doesn't think it's his job to do any little thing around here--although he can be rather helpful when it comes to swishing Comet around the toilet bowl with the little brush.  (You have to watch him when he does that, though, because he cleans so energetically that the bubbles can spill over onto the floor!)  But he doesn't think that he should have to pick up toys he didn't play with or clean up any mess he didn't create.

Personally, I don't care for that argument.  After all, I wash clothes I didn't wear--others wore them.  I cook dinners for everyone, not just for myself, and I pack lunches for other people in this house too.  And whoever's on the list to dust can't call upon Mother Nature to take care of the dust and pollen that lands on the furniture and windowsills.  She puts it there, but she's not going to take it away.  Same with mowing the lawn.  While my teenage son didn't make it grow, he's got the responsibility of keeping it trim.

My chore often winds up being worse than the ones I assign the kids.  I have to keep on everybody's back and make sure that their chores get done.  It would be faster and less aggravating for me to just do these jobs myself, but that won't get anybody anywhere.  And my kids would grow up unable to cook, clean, or do basic household maintenance.  If that happens, then I've failed at my job.

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