Thanks to everyone who chimed in to my chore question here or over at Facebook. The consensus  is that I’m not asking too much and that I could be asking her to do more than just clean the bathroom once a week. I see the wisdom in that. All of my children need to learn how to clean, but more importantly, they need to learn the value in pitching in to the benefit of all.

So, she has more chores coming her way. In fact, the younger three have more coming their way too.

I’m thinking this is not going to be an overnight transformation with kids begging me for work or volunteering to do a new job. In fact, this might take years in the physical sense and lots of maturity in their spiritual life. I know I need all the patience, gentleness and self control to tackle those jobs I’d rather not do. Sure I can scrub with the best of them, but my attitude. . .yes, sometimes the moms attitude isn’t so pure or lovely. And I’m grumbling under my breath the whole time.

Teaching children the value of a job well done, to work without complaining, and to do their best work: these are my goals for having the kids do chores. I know how much more I enjoy my house when it’s clean or how much more I can relax if I’m not thinking about a job left undone. Part of me enjoys cleaning - I told you about that recently – and let’s be honest, as a homeschooling, stay-at-home mom, housework is a big part of my day.

So because I’m already blogging about chores (thanks, Susan for the idea), I might as well give you updates along the way. Who is doing what chore, how long it takes him or her to master and the general attitude of all of us.