Posts from — April 2012

I have been wanting to write about children doing chores for several weeks now, and finally the day is here.  So what do you think about children doing chores?  I am actually quite excited about my son doing his chores.  This is new for our family so we are still working out a little resistance, but all in all it is going well.

My older son is 8, and I really believe he is at the age when he can contribute to the family with his “skills”.  So what can an 8 year old do?  Plenty!  He is supposed to make his bed in the mornings, clean out his lunch pan after school, put away his clothes after they are washed and folded (I am working on him folding the clothes too, so that will be soon), help to  unpack and put away the groceries from the supermarket and tidy his room.  I think these are reasonable.  They are simple tasks that just take a few minutes for him to do and frees me up to do other things.  Of course the corners on the bed he makes aren’t square nor is the sheet pulled tightly, but you know what, I’ve let that go.  It’s his bed anyway, so I ‘m not going to be too picky about the quality of the work.  I believe it’s the responsibility of having to do chores that is more important than how perfect it turns out.  Of course I am not talking about accepting a “slap-dash” job, but if the effort is honest, I am fine with that, and we can work on improving the result.  What you say?

Does my son want to do his chores-definitely not!  I have to remind him EVERYDAY to empty the lunch pan, to make up the bed etc.  Surely he tries to get out of it, but if he doesn’t do it, it’s not done, because I am not going to do it.  I have waited several mornings for him to clean out the lunch pan so I can pack the lunch.  I think that is key.  If you always pick up the slack, then why would they bother?  They have to know you are standing by your guns.

Even if you have help at home, I feel it’s important for children to help around the house.  Apart from learning to help themselves and learning some basic life skills, doing chores builds a level of responsibility and also helps them feel valued about their contribution to the family. Oh, and I don’t pay money for chores.  We explain that for our family each person has and important contribution to make, and helping around the house is just one way to contribute.

I figure if Sacha and Malia (Obama) have to make their beds, then my kids can do the same!

What do yo think?  Do your children have household responsibilities?  Do you pay them?  I would love to get your thoughts!  Leave your comments below.

Photo attribution: clogozm

Share this:

As I  mentioned in the previous post, Our Journey to Jamaica’s South coast, we were only able to spend two days in St. Elizabeth.  One of the activities we were able to enjoy was the Black River Safari.  Truth be told, our “Safari” was really more like a “boat ride” up Black River.

Our hotel arranged for us to do the Black River Safari, with “two men and a boat” (my words).  I really thought this little boat/canoe was taking us to the bigger Safari boating outfit we had seen on our way to the hotel.  However, we soon learned that this small boat would be doing the Safari!  (Much to my husband’s sudden unease and agitation).  We were consoled frequently by the boatman that we would be OK.  Hubby’s concern was that  ”Alligators can jump” and didn’t like the idea of possibly becoming their dinner!  He just would have felt safer in a bigger boat.  Little did be know he had nothing to worry about.

Black River is quite long, we didn’t even go all the way to Miss Lou’s crab shack, as we understood it was quite a way up the river, and we really didn’t want any crab.  I think the ride was about an hour.  Along our “Safari” we saw lots of Egrets, marshlands, some very interesting mangroves and a quick glimpse of ONE Alligator, who headed quickly into the water.  I have to say  I was disappointed!  We were expecting to see several alligators (hence Hubby’s apprehension) and other animals all along the ‘Safari’, but we didn’t!  I don’t suppose the boatmen can guarantee what we’ll see as there are so many variables.  Needless to say, my husband was quite OK with just glimpsing one Alligator, who I might add, was a good distance away from the boat.

We did see another Alligator, on the dock by Charles Swaby Safari.  Honestly on our trip out we saw the Alligator but thought it was a fake.  It was in the same position, not moving for several minutes.  We argued with the boatman as to its status, as we thought he was teasing us that this was real.  Lo’ and behol’,  on the return leg, what do you know?   The Alligator nuh turn ‘roun’ and was walking!!!!  We were shocked.  We were led to understand that he is tame, nothing to worry about, because his “owner” feed him chicken back!!

Overall, I am glad we did it.  We had never been on a boat on the river before, our kids experienced something new, and the scenery was quite beautiful.  If you are planning on taking in the Safari, just know beforehand that you may or may not see Alligators.  If you see them, consider it your lucky day!

Share this: