Yet Another Word On Chores

Here's the latest ah-ha from our now not-so-new work system. First of all, it's working! For the last two weeks...get this...I haven't mopped the floor!!! My 8-year old does it, not only really well, but VOLUNTARILY. That's right, he picks it!...I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

My latest lesson has been to help the children do their chores first and then get mine done. It's rather discouraging to work all morning (only some of the mornings : ) with the kids doing things the long way, only to have more of my own chores to do after. BUT I see (now that my son mops : ) it won't be for long!

At a class on the Core Phase* at Classic Books & Gifts, Gaylene Victoria Hatch shared something that really help me. She said people often ask, "How can I expect to teach my children perseverance and quality work if I allow them in Core Phase and Love of Learning* to explore as long as they want and never force them to follow through with their studies?" She said it is while teaching them to work (chores, service projects, etc.) that you can teach them what a quality job is. Then when they become scholars they will know what is required of them to achieve quality academic work.

*Core and Love of Learning Phases are discussed in A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-first Century by Oliver DeMille...a must-read if you haven't done so yet!)

So as I teach my children how to clean a toilet (over and over again), I can see the quality of their work improving, slowly albeit, but improving nonetheless. Also when I get impatient or frustrated with the process, I remind myself that this is my job! I signed up for this, so why not enjoy it? That's the next thing on my list ; ) Have fun doing chores...I'll let you know how that goes!