Make your kids do their chores!

It's true. Chores are good for kids. I can prove it...
With a family of 10, they have to help. Otherwise it would be chaos. I think the chore stuff started out as a complete necessity. There was no way me and my husband alone could handle the volume of dishes and wash...So they started young. The day they were out of the highchair, they learned to bring their dishes over to the sink instead of leaving them for someone else to clean. The day they were out of their crib, they learned to pull the comforter over their sheets to make the bed look made. The day they were out of their diapers they learned to hang up their jammie's after they got dressed to make the room look neat. It is of course, not a panacea of eager children waiting for the next assignment..but they really do help and it really does make a difference. And there is a learning curve , where I would have to do everything over.  I remember my one son was not yet 3 and was in charge of watering the flowers in the backyard.  I gave him the watering can. He could hardly carry it, because it weighed just a little more than he did.  I gave him very specific instructions, "Ok I would like you to please water the pink flowers on the side of the house with this whole can of water. The  pink flowers on the side of the house. They are flowers that need a lot of water, so we have to water them everyday or they will die. I want you to use this whole can just for those pink flowers. Don't water the garden on the way... Don't water the grass. You have to use this whole bucket just for those pink flowers and nothing else. Do you understand what I am saying?" he said yes. All he had on was a diaper..no shoes no shirt... Just a diaper and the watering can.   He came back to me about 5 minutes later, smiling so happy to accomplish something...and said,  "I did it!" Then I said, "Oh! Thank you so much!  You are a big help to mommy!'  he smiled, tilted his head and said, "What pink flowers?" But they learn..and all that responsibility and accountability help SO much the older they get! They become the go to kid...the kid everyone looks to for help and eventually guidance. They can fix  things or at least make a decent attempt at fixing things because they had past experience with fixing a lot of broken things in this house....they can assemble things..like all that cheap furniture that is so cheap because it comes in a flat box and takes hours to self assemble, they can mend things..or somehow put it together to make it pass for the night because that happened many times ..but what does all this do for them? Gives them self confidence! They feel empowered..they are not intimidated by a daunting task..they naturally develop a good opinion of themselves....this is what you want for your kids, right?!  And because they have grown up doing so many chores they have an appreciation for work..that translates into everything good! Like good manners..when they are guests they know what it is like to have to cook and clean so they automatically help... and manners makes everyone happy!  I have lots of chore stories..the kids really do do a lot of chores! When one of my son had a concussion from sports we went back in for a recheck and the Dr said, "So what  have you been doing to keep busy while you are at home?" without missing a beat, he groaned, "Chores." And me and the doc both laughed.. because it was true!