Every day without fail, I find myself reminding my children to complete their assigned chores. Take my son, for instance. He’s responsible for walking our dog after school and dinner. As the dog whines at the door, I nudge my son to take him out. The whining persists, and after a few reminders, my patience starts to wear thin. Suddenly, I’m the one in a bad mood for emphasizing his responsibilities.
Then there’s my daughter. When her turn comes to fold laundry, it often sits neglected in the dryer until I remind her multiple times. “Why is there so much laundry? I can’t stand this!” she exclaims. I totally empathize—who enjoys doing laundry, anyway? But I’m grateful to have kids who can lend a hand with it. As long as they’re living here, I plan to avoid folding laundry myself. Life is good!
Most parents I know firmly believe in assigning chores to their kids, as it fosters responsibility and equips them with essential life skills. It’s a strategy to raise well-rounded individuals who don’t feel entitled. However, instilling a strong work ethic can be a real challenge. It’s arguably one of the toughest aspects of parenting. The temptation to correct their half-hearted attempts or simply do the work ourselves is strong, especially when we’re exhausted from the daily grind of parenting.
I have two tweens and a teenager, so we’ve been navigating this chore routine for a while. They know their daily responsibilities, yet they still resist. They tend to drag their feet when it’s time for chores and often put up a fight. But you know what? It doesn’t matter. They may try to dodge their duties, but I’m equally determined, and I refuse to let them coast while I do all the heavy lifting.
There are four of us living in this house. Each of us contributes to the mess—whether it’s the laundry piling up, the chaos in the bathroom, or the dirt tracked in from outside. Everyone can help out. Now that my kids are older, I’ve invested the time to teach them how to contribute, and while it hasn’t always been smooth sailing (I’ve lost my cool more times than I’d like to admit), I’m starting to see the fruits of my labor. And it feels fantastic, aside from the inevitable complaints.
While my kids might not understand it now, there are certainly more enjoyable activities than folding laundry or cleaning up after the dog. I remind them that they’ll be grateful for the life skills I’m teaching them—cooking, cleaning, and maintaining personal hygiene (which seems to be the biggest chore of all). They may not appreciate this wisdom until they become parents themselves and experience the whirlwind of a child who can wreak havoc in a freshly tidied home.
I hope that, when they eventually move out, they’ll feel empowered, knowing how to prepare a meal, keep their clothes tidy, and even steam a rug. If they manage to do all of that before I come to visit, I’ll consider it a win.
For now, as long as they’re living under my roof and I’m covering the bills, I won’t back down. I refuse to shoulder all the responsibilities while they lounge on the couch, snacking and watching videos of kids playing with toys on YouTube.
My kids can try to outsmart me in this chore game, but I will always come out on top. After all, mothers possess an endurance that is unmatched.
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Summary
In this piece, I discuss the importance of assigning chores to children while providing humorous anecdotes about my own kids’ reluctance to help out. I stress that instilling a sense of responsibility is essential for their development and share my determination to ensure they contribute to household duties while living at home.