SAL-VA-TION: by grace

E-LEV-EN: children from 1984 to 2006

HOME-SCHOOL-ING: since 1990

DOWN-SYN-DROME: susie and gabe

GRAND-CHILD-REN: since 2010

FAITH-FUL-NESS: my steadfast rock, my biggest supporter, my leader, my friend, my love, my husband

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

My Parenting Style

Last night our "official" (meaning on the job chart) dining room table wiper/floor sweeper was away for the evening. Three children were sitting at the table when I asked, "Who can wipe the table and sweep for me?"

There was silence. I reconsidered the request and asked, "I need one person to wipe the table and another to sweep the floor. Who will do it?"

Mr. Helper quickly answered, "I'll wipe!" I'm not sure if he really wanted to help or if he decided that half the job was easier than the whole job and if Mom got around to giving out the assignments he didn't want to get stuck with the broom so it was better to volunteer.

The remaining two just looked at each other and Mr. Thinker started to say, "Let's do paper, scissors, rock to see...."

I cut him off and said, "Thank you Thinker for volunteering, you'll be sweeping." I figured if he was going to go to such extremes to get out of the work, that would suffice as an offer in my book.

However, Mr. Slacker then pointed and laughed and told him, "Ha! You're sweeping. You 'volunteered'!"

His gloating didn't last long as he heard me, now from the next room, chime in with, "I changed my mind. Slacker, you're the sweeper. Thank you for volunteering even more loudly than Thinker."

They may not be jump-up-how-can-I-help kids, but if I put my mind to it the work gets done.

2 comments:

Asil said...

LOL Cindy, this is so like our house! Everybody will wipe off the table, but sweeping is another matter entirely! Glad to know it isn't just us that have this problem.

By the way, congrats on the new role as grandparent! That's exciting!

Lisa from down south

Keelie said...

love it!:)