Getting the Kids Involved

My girls are four and six years old.  They are big enough to be a great help to me with the house work. The problem is that one of my little ones doesn't much like helping.  Hannah, my youngest, loves to help out in any way imaginable.  She changes over the laundry and folds the towels, scrubs the toilets and the sinks, sets the table, unloads the dishwasher, makes her bed, picks up her toys and helps me all the time.  She has such a servants heart and this comes naturally to her.

However, not so for Bekah.   She does all those things, but it is not easy for her.  She would much rather be playing or coloring.  Who wouldn't?  However, I am her momma and I will train her to run a house hold and take care of her family.  That is my job as a mommy.

I didn't like all of the housework as a girl.  One time I remember thinking that when I was a mom, I would never make my kids work like slaves in the house.  I would just let them play and have fun each and every day, since that is what kids are supposed to do.  My mom didn't believe in that.  She taught my sister and I to cook and clean and manage our money.  We learned very quickly to be independent and take care of our selves.  I hated it at the time, but am so grateful today.  Running a house hold isn't that big of a deal since I had already been trained.

So advance 20 years: Now I am the mom and I am training my little ones on how to cook and clean it is a whole new world.  We recently gave the girls their own chores to do each day.  Bekah thought about it for a bit and then told me, "I don't think that this is a good idea.  I just don't think so.  I don't want to have to set the table and empty the dishwasher. "  She was not pleased that I would ask her to do such things.  We talked about it for a bit and I explained why I was doing it.  She didn't really get it until last night though.

Bekah was picking on Hannah like most kids do.  So I decided to pull Bekah into the kitchen to help me and Hannah went out back to play.  Dinner took twice as long to cook with her helping, but it was so fun.  I read off the ingredients and Bekah found them by herself.  It's great now that she is learning to read.  We prepped the chicken and the fried rice.  She had such fun measuring out all the ingredients and cooking with very little help from me.

 Hannah came in and started to help wash the dishes.  I began setting the table since  Bekah was cooking the rice. Bekah began talking about how she couldn't set the table since it was so much work  cooking.  I had a great conversation discussing how when one is cooking and working so hard, it is difficult to set the table and do other things.  She finally got why I am asking them to help out around the kitchen.  She is starting to understand that when everyone helps out around the house, life is better.  When we all do our part, then no one is burdened with the entire job.

And look at the joy on her face as she helps out.  

Serving others blesses you and blesses others.