Dished a Lesson
My “big boys” were having a tough go at it the other day. I was in the mood to get some real cleaning done and was trying to get them on board with the idea. Instead, they fussed. That’s not allowed!
I was standing at the kitchen sink, washing dishes (which is where I am most of the time.) I called the boys in and we had the following conversation:
Me: “You guys know it’s part of being a family to help out around here. Do you guys want to wash these dishes instead?! Do you know how old I was when I started washing dishes?”
Andy (age 7): “No.”
Me: “What do you think?”
Andy: “Um… 8?” Smart kid.
Me: “No. Brades, what do you think?”
Brady (now 6): “Um… 5?”
I just knew my point had to be sinking in: They could have it worse. They could have to straighten up the living room, put their clean clothes away AND wash the dishes, too.
Me: “No. Connor? What do you think?”
Connor (4): “I don’t know.” At least he’s honest.
Me: “FOUR! I was four-years-old when I started washing dishes. Nana would scoot a chair up to the sink and I had to wash ALL the dishes.”
Brady (pointing to Connor): “Then make HIM do the dishes!!”
*sigh* He IS four, after all. Crazy kids.
March 1st, 2010 at 9:49 am
Haha. That is so funny. We are revamping our chore list around here and I’m really liking it. I taught Anna to do her own laundry this morning. I walked her through the whole process and she set the washer on the 8 min. wash cycle. A little while later I hear her screaming from the laundry room, “Mom, Mom!!! What HAPPENED?? It’s on TWOOOOO! I PROMISE I set it on 8!” She was in total panic. :):) I told her it was meant to be that way…the look of relief was so comical. I then informed her that it was just laundry and that it wasn’t that she missed a rivet on the space shuttle or anything. That panic of that magnitude should be kept to situations involving lots of blood.
March 3rd, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Boy Christa, your Mom must have really loved you to let you do dishes at such a young age. I remember my daughter begging me to let her do the dishes when she was just four years old. OH, wait a minute that was you and you didn’t do them all the time. Only when I had time to do them over again after you went outside to play.
March 5th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Heather and Nana, I enjoyed your notes almost as much as the story. I’ve got some catching up to do here what with the Olympics and all……