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The Family That Cleans Together


By Sheila Wray Gregoire

When the final bell rang on that last day of school, children cheered as they were released from their torment. Today, many parents feel as if the torment is now theirs. We are in the midst of summer vacation, and that means seemingly endless weeks of entertaining our kids. Yet why do we have summer vacation? It’s because when public schooling started, children—yes, children—were needed to work on the farm.

The idea of kids working has fallen into disrepute, largely because for so long children, the most vulnerable in our society, were horrendously exploited. Yet being free from labor is not exactly the natural state of childhood, either. Proverbs 10:5 tells us: “a child who gathers in summer is prudent, but a child who sleeps in harvest brings shame” (NRSV). Kids are supposed to help with the family’s work! It teaches them some important lessons.

I love knitting. And not just regular sweaters, but the kind that requires tiny needles, 35 colors and four years to complete. When I do finally finish, I feel such a profound sense of accomplishment.

That feeling is something that is unique to being productive. We can feel something similar, though not nearly so thrilling, when we finally clean out the garage, or weed a large vegetable bed, or fix a leaky toilet. To a large extent, though, we have deprived our children of these experiences. Our fridge doors may be plastered with art “creations”, but often this is as far as their productivity goes. The idea of actually helping with the dishes, for instance, is laughed off as the X-Box is turned on. Most families in the United States today do not require children to do chores. Even when they do, it’s usually only to clean up after themselves by making their own beds, cleaning up their toys, or putting their own dishes in the dishwasher. Helping the family is no longer required.

But we’re not only excusing them from chores....
Read the full column here: The Family That Cleans Together

Sheila is now blogging at tolovehonorandvacuum.blogspot.com!

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© Sheila Wray Gregoire, 2007-present
Sheila is a popular Canadian Christian speaker and the author of four books, including To Love, Honor and Vacuum and Honey, I Don't Have a Headache Tonight. She's a homeschooling mom to two daughters, and when she's not doing school at the kitchen table, she's likely off exploring a park with her two girls. Or sneaking chocolate. But you moms understand! Visit sheilawraygregoire.com.

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