It’s a daily ritual in our household: I find myself reminding my children—sometimes more than once—to complete their assigned chores. Take my son, for instance. He’s responsible for walking our dog after school and dinner. When the dog starts whining at the door, I nudge him with a reminder. If the whining persists, I remind him again. By the third time, my friendly nudges have turned into a full-on exasperation, leaving him puzzled as to why I seem irritable.
Then there’s my daughter. When it’s her turn to fold laundry—a chore that rotates among the kids—the clean clothes often languish in the dryer until I’ve reminded her a few times. Her typical response? “Why is there so much laundry? I can’t stand this!”
I understand her frustration; who actually enjoys doing laundry? But I’m grateful that my kids are old enough to handle it. In my eyes, as long as they’re living here, I won’t be folding laundry myself—what a win!
Most parents I know are advocates for involving their children in household chores. It builds responsibility, imparts essential life skills, and helps cultivate respectful individuals who don’t expect everything handed to them. However, instilling a strong work ethic can be challenging—arguably, one of the toughest tasks we face as parents. It’s all too tempting to step in and do the job ourselves, especially after a long day of negotiating with our kids.
With two tweens and a teen, we’ve been navigating this chore landscape for some time now. They are fully aware of what’s expected from them, yet they still find ways to procrastinate. But despite their attempts to sidestep their responsibilities, I’m equally stubborn. I refuse to let them coast while I handle everything.
Our household consists of four individuals, each contributing to the mess and the laundry. So, everyone can pitch in. After investing time to teach them the importance of contributing (even through my moments of frustration), I’m starting to see the fruits of our labor—complaints and all.
Although they might not recognize it now, I hope one day they’ll appreciate the lessons I’m instilling in them about cooking, cleaning, and even personal hygiene—the most challenging chore of all! They may not grasp it until they have kids of their own and experience firsthand how quickly a child can undo a tidy home.
My hope is that when they eventually live independently, they’ll feel empowered with the skills to cook a meal, keep their clothes tidy, and tackle tasks like steam cleaning a rug. And if they manage to do those things before I visit, I’ll consider it a success. For now, while I’m footing the bills, I won’t back down. I refuse to be the only one working hard while they lounge on the couch, snacking and watching videos of others playing with toys.
My kids may think they can outlast me in this chore battle, but let’s be real—moms have an unparalleled endurance.
Additional Resources
For more insights on parenting and creating a nurturing environment, check out our post on artificial insemination kits. If you’re on the journey to parenthood, you might find this holiday fertility gift guide helpful. And for a deeper understanding of pregnancy and home insemination, this resource on the IVF process is excellent.
Summary
As a parent, instilling a sense of responsibility in my children is crucial. While they may resist doing chores, I remain resolute that everyone under our roof must contribute. With time, I hope they’ll appreciate these lessons as they grow into self-sufficient adults.