Free labor?

Today was house cleaning day. We rarely have a day like this. Not that we don't clean house. We do. We just typically do it in smaller "chunks" throughout the week. Well, we were busy or away from home all week, so by the weekend, things felt like they were coming apart at the seams. Every room needed some major attention. So we worked. All. Day. Long. And then we took a walk to the grocery store for ice cream (I am quite sure we deserved this treat after all the calories we burned today.)
All this cleaning made me think about how important our kids are to our household. Not just important, but essential to the day to day functioning of our house. Sure, they do their share of making messes (ok, some of them do more than their share, but I won't mention names), but they also do their share of cleaning up. Chores are in the daily vocabulary of our kids.
All the kids (even the 18 month old) do chores, based on their age and/or ability level. Here is Jedrek helping with the mopping today.
It's important to train them young!
And here is a rare moment of all three kids working together to empty the dishwasher.

(That strange green thing hanging from the cabinet on the right is a "question mark." It was my idea to reduce the number of interruptions, or at least inappropriate interruptions, while I am on the phone. The kids are supposed to put this question mark on my arm and then wait patiently while I get to a break in the conversation and pause to answer their question. Key word here is "supposed to.")

Anyway, back to the task at hand (pun intended). Here are some of the chores that my kids do regularly:

Laundry--putting it in the washing machine (right side out), folding and putting it away in drawers.

Emptying the dishwasher (I rarely empty the dishwasher anymore. However, FILLING the dishwasher is another story)

Cleaning the bathroom--the older two do this together and more or less independently

Getting the mail/newspaper

Cleaning up toys

Taking out trash and compost

Vaccuming

Shaking out rugs

Cleaning their bedrooms

Clean off the front and back porch

Washing windows

Dusting

My oldest child is nine. Even the 18 month old puts away his own shoes and helps pick up toys occasionally. By the time he is two, I expect he will be putting away his own laundry and helping with some of the other jobs listed above.

Wow, now that I see this list I wonder what I do all day. Oh yeah, I follow behind and make sure these jobs are done right!

My point is that my kids do a lot of work (just ask them they will tell you). I believe that the way to make kids feel a sense of worth and belonging is to give them real jobs and a real place in the family.

That, plus making the kids do all the work gives me more time for watching soap operas and eating bonbons (NOT).