Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Childhood Chores

Blog Prompt: Did you have specified chores as a child? If so, what were they? Were you given an allowance for completing them? How much? What chores did you feel were unfair? Which ones did you enjoy the most?

When I was growing up we did have chores to do. My mom, sister, and I would take different chores and do them for the whole week. For instance, Mom divided the chores up into 1. laundry, 2. living room & bath, and 3. kitchen. Each one of us had one of those chores for a week and then we would rotate. We really liked this rotation because it was a break from doing the same thing all the time and we learned to do everything. In addition to those divided chores, we also had animals (donkeys, horses, chickens, rabbits, cats, dogs) so we were responsible to take care of our pets and our rooms. When I was a teenager we lived on a farm and raised a large garden and hay for sale. We had to irrigate the field twice a day and help with the gardening. In the summertime we would get up early and get our chores done so we could have the afternoon hours off. We really liked that and it taught us to prioritize.

We weren't given an allowance for our chores. Mom and Dad saw our helping out as being part of the family. They didn't get paid for being Mom and Dad. They didn't want to create in us the expectation that whatever we did we would get paid for.

I really didn't like doing any chores. I don't feel that any of them were unfair though. However, when I was little and doing them, I didn't like it at all. Now I see the value and I'm so glad that Mom and Dad raised us to be able to do good work. I really can't think of any chores I really enjoyed, but I do remember being in the garden as a family doing the weeding and singing songs and quoting movies. Those are great memories!

4 comments:

  1. Family chores are a fantastic idea! And to this day, I love to have music on when I have to do chores..what a great way to pass the time.

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  2. Wow! It sounds like you have a very special family! What great memories.

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  3. Wow, the rotation chores was a great idea. Sounds like you had an amazing up-bringing.

    hugs, Debs

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  4. I like the idea of rotating the chores. Wish I had heard about it when the kids were young and at home.

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