Kid Chores....an exception?

Lately I've been noticing a trend when it comes to my kids, their chores and other people's reactions to them.  First off you have to know that my twin 8 year old boys, Yip and Yap, have chores that they do everyday; put away their laundry, walk the dog, feed the dog, take out the trash. Every morning after breakfast, unless the weather is just horrendous, they each walk the dog for about 15 minutes before they head to school. A few people in the community have commented to me, smiling, that they've seen my boys walking the dog. But it kind of hit me a little differently this week when I was talking to the boys school principal and he mentioned how he sees the boys every morning walking the dog, or the dog walking them, every morning on his way to get coffee and how it was nice to see that they had chores. And it kind of hit me right then, all these folks in town who comment on my boys walking their dog, I think they see my boys (with their chores) as an exception rather than the rule.

Could it be true that most kids these days don't have to do chores? DR and I were talking about our chores growing up. We both had farm animals to feed and water everyday along with gardens and fields to work in in the summer. In the winter my sisters and I could be found every weekend cutting wood for our wood burning stove. We always had chores. It never occurred to me to argue about doing chores. I made of grumbled wile doing them but I never just didn't do them; they had to get done one way or the other. I think for farm kids chores are so integral to their lifestyle there's no way to grow up without doing chores. That was DR and my childhoods.

I've always thought having kids do some sort of chores is important. I believe it teaches accountability, responsibility, time management skills, and a work ethic. I've struggled in the past finding age appropriate chores for my kids to do. Right now, I'm trying to come up with some chores 4 year old Yahoo could do on a daily basis as part of her routine but I can't think of anything. Maybe she should share the chores with Yip and Yap? I can imagine a lot fighting if I institute that. But it's not as though she doesn't do anything. She does help me out with various things through the day and she's kind of learning to pick up after herself. Still though, I'm not going to let any of my kids grow up without doing some sort of work around the house.

But is the idea of kids' doing chores an exception? Do most kids these days getting away with not doing anything around the house?  I haven't asked around to any parent friends of mine about what they make their kids do...that might be kind of annoying to them. How on Earth can a parent justify not teaching work skills to their kids at a young age? You sure can't start teaching those skills once they hit the teen years. I do remember a former 8th grade student of mine who didn't have to do ANY chores...which kind of explained his report card with straight F's.

So what do you think? Are chores for kids a thing of the past? Do you make your kids do chores? Are you the exception where you live? Do you think chores for kids are important?

Sunday Devotions - Passing the Torch, the work of Christ

The Great Commission

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said,“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20

Peter Heals a Lame Beggar

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. Acts 3:1-8

This week as I was preparing for today's Sunday school class, the lesson of Peter healing the lame man, I was having trouble coming up with a suitable way to convey to the kids just how important Peter's miracle was to early Christianity. Peter's work and ability to perform miracle was showed that Jesus' work on Earth wasn't finished when he ascended into heaven. Rather, the work was passed onto Peter and the other disciples by Jesus' great commission. Peter also reminds the lame beggar, and us, that any mortal with the power to perform miracles has power from God, not themselves. 

The work Jesus passed to the apostles and that has now been passed to present day Christians is a lot like an Olympic relay race. It takes a lot of people working their very best to get to the finish. Those running the relay must grasp the baton firmly and pass it on with conviction. 

And what will we workers for Christ find at the finish line? We will be received as champions, given rest from our toils. Christians are like Olympic champions. We don't become Christians in a day nor do Olympians become champions. Doing God's work and becoming an Olympic champion takes years of sacrifice and hard work but our reward in heaven is great! 

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for the work you have commissioned to us. Thank You for providing role models in your apostles. Thank You for the promise of a great reward in heaven! Amen! 

Sunday Devotions - God's path

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me —the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. Acts 20:24

I truly believe that God has put me on Earth for a purpose and job to complete. I'm more than happy to do whatever it his he calls me to do but sometimes I find it kind of difficult knowing what it is I'm supposed to be doing and which path I should be taking. 

When I graduated college and began teaching I felt like my calling was to work with kids..and I loved it! But after only five years of teaching I met my husband and from there we've moved all over the place and I've never had the opportunity to get back into my own classroom. 

In my years of moving from place to place there were many times I felt clueless about my job on this Earth. Am I supposed to be teaching in a classroom? Am I supposed to be a devoted stay at home mom? Am I supposed to do something specific in my community? What's my job? 

I suppose I may never know exactly what I'm to do for God however if I can live everyday testifying for God, whether it be in a classroom, at home or somewhere in my community then I'm sure to be on the right path. 

Dear Heavenly Father, We both know that You have given me a job to do on this Earth, however sometimes I'm confused about exactly what that job is. Guide me on the right path. Amen. 

Marker Monday - Chorin' with Connie

We have a friend who lives about 5 miles out of town that raises bucket calves that are born on the feed lots out here. Cowboys can't be bothered with a bunch of newborns on a feed lot so our friend Connie weans them and then sells them at the sale barn. 

 A few times this summer the kids and I have headed out to her place early in the mornings to help chore. 

I grew up on a little 40 acre farm doing chores every morning, summer and winter, and though I grumbled a lot about chores when I was a kid I sure miss them now. I wish my kids were farm kids. 

They enjoy helping and they are good hard workers. And I think it's good for them to get out and see animals up close and messy, not just at the zoo or a county fair. 

I'm sure Connie could get her chores done quicker without us around but she sure is gracious by letting my kids have this great experience. 

Calf #47 is a sucker and my kids love sticking their fingers in his mouth! 

It's good too for them to learn not to act scared of large animals. Most of the time there is more to fear from smaller animals...even cattle. 

I'd call myself an accidental town girl. I love living in the country and I sure miss it, mess and all that it can be. Ah well, who knows what's in my future. Maybe I'll get out to the country again someday. Till then thank goodness for Connie who is willing to share her messy chores with us! 

Foody Friday - Hobo Stew (or Poor Man's Stew)

My garden is coming along well. 

And I'm putting my kids to heavy toil harvesting and eating the vegetables. 

Eating some of those veggies is the hardest part. 

Summer squash...blech! 

Our purple beans have done really well. 

I love purple beans because I can actually see them when I go picking them. 

I think my mom called my favorite fresh green bean dish Hobo Stew. (Correction: My mom just let me know that my Grandma always called it Poor Man's Stew.) I just always remembered it as "the dish we always ate right after we picked the beans" 

Put diced potatoes, fresh snapped beans, salt, pepper and cooked ground sausage in a pot. Cover with water and boil until potatoes are soft. 

I love the way my purple beans turn green :) 

Serve hot!! 

There is nothing better than eating veggies straight from the garden. 

What is your favorite way to eat fresh produce? 

Sunday Devotions - Rest vs. Work

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. Mark 6:30-32

It's 8:30 on a Saturday night and I'm finally sitting down to write my Sunday Devotional. Whew! 

What a day it's been! The boys had a friend sleep over last night so there was an extra rugrat running around this morning. Later in the morning I loaded the car with kids to buy materials for 4-H projects. Then after coming home, fixing lunch and getting Yahoo down for a nap the boys and I worked on their projects.  After Yahoo's nap we had a fine time making animal cheese crackers for a church dinner this evening and then we played with some Clean Mud (check tomorrow's post for the recipe!). I timed it just right that I could run on the treadmill while the kids watched a movie and I'd heat up leftovers for dinner as soon as I was done running. But as soon as I got off the treadmill DR came home from working all day transferring grain to say he had to run to town and, "Why don't we go out to eat at Applebees?" After a quick shower, no makeup, and getting the kids hustled into the car, we were off! Dinner was great, then a fly by the store DR needed to get to, and we were home right at bedtime. Everyone was hustled through the toothbrush, pajama routine and were down for the count. Even DR's sleeping right now. 

I felt like I haven't had a chance to sit all day. But even as I'm sitting here looking around the living room my mind is building a To Do List; pick up toys, work on painting, fold laundry, the list goes on and on. But I have no energy to keep on working tonight. If I did I would be worthless tomorrow. 

I think the apostles probably had some problems with getting enough rest too. Jesus had sent them off to do God's work and they had returned, probably very excited, about what they'd taught and done! Who wants to rest when the power of God is with them to do great things? But Jesus knew that rest was important to his disciples, despite their great excitement and energy. If they didn't rest and recharge the power of God wouldn't be able to work within them in the future. They would just burn out. 

The same is true for all of us. Life is so much go, go, go. Where's the rest? If we don't carve out time for ourselves no one else will. No one can go indefinitely without recharging their batteries, physically and mentally, or burn out is bound to occur. I think for mothers of young kids it is especially hard to find time to rest and pray. We are on the go from sunup to sundown and many times up in the middle of the night too caring for our little ones. 

It's hard to carve out that time but perhaps it doesn't have to be a huge chunk of time all at once. Can you try five minutes of sitting down doing nothing? Ten minutes? There are days I feel lucky to get three minutes of time to just sit before I'm called on by one kid or another. But the intention is there. 

Dear God, Thank You for reminding me today that rest is so very important. Rest for my body and my mind. Resting is the only way I can prepare myself to do Your work. Help me find rest today Lord that I may do Your work tomorrow. Amen.