A Sense of Ownership

I should begin by stating, "It is no body's fault, but my own". Completely 100% my fault.

My children are lazy. Extremely lazy. I-will-just-step-over-garbage-on-the-floor lazy. Spoiled rotten to the core.

And I did it to them.

I only get 18 short years with my babies, and we've had quite a ride. Our lives are full of fun. They have been involved in about every activity you can think of and have lived a life they can't complain about.

But I can.

I feel like Nick couldn't be more than four or five. Who told him he could be almost 17? It sure wasn't me!! With that reality comes the hard facts that I have not taught my kids to be good stewards of their time. There is so sense of ownership for their home and there is no sense of citizenship in their community. They can do some crazy stuff on bikes and skateboards. Nick plays a mean game of monopoly. Emily is quite an artist. They've travelled more than many.

But they are lazy.

As part of our "new" new year I am attempting to get my darlings to do something around their home. And no, I'm not paying them to do it. They get whatever they want, go wherever they want and do whatever they want. I'm not adding a wad of cash to that good fortune. And I sure as hell am not going to pay them to help around their own home.

I'm starting simple. All I am asking is that they give 30 minutes a day doing something helpful around their home. Nick emptied the dishwasher and then spent a few minutes chopping wood.

Miss Emily-Lou-Whoo loaded the split wood into a sled before having some time by the fire. Okay, it wasn't really 30 minutes, but it was a start. (She's actually the least lazy and would have done more had I asked).

I'm not making the same mistake with these two....they actually like helping! So they unloaded and stacked Nick's wood, and then the wood Dad chopped.

This guy is the challenge of the century. He pissed and moaned and whined. He acted as if the world had ended when he had to carry the blankets HE and HIS FRIENDS used back upstairs. And that is all he did. He is the most spoiled of the five and gives us the hardest time with the most trouble and he does the least (read: nothing!) around the house. Why can't I crack down on this one?

I taught Em how to play Yahtzee tonight. She beat me. Figures.

The fire immediately became a family favorite. Each one of us spent more than a few minutes by wood stove today. I did find that I may not be able to knit by the fire, though. I was falling asleep!! It's been such a lazy kick-back day (and I like it). Can you believe it's already midnight?! I want to make my flamingo post and then I'm getting a little more fire time before bed. ~Night