I am not just a physician but also a home maker. More often than not my house looks upside down. With four boys and a husband running around things don’t always go back in the right place. On days when everything is out of place I feel overwhelmed, frustrated and defeated. I would love my home to just be pristine and stay that way but that’s a distant dream because my home is too dynamic with four boys in motion for it to always be pristine. But that doesn’t mean it has to look like a tornado passed through. So when I get that overwhelmed feeling just thinking about cleaning up this huge mess I remind myself of a cardinal rule in home making- never clean alone. No, cleaning up should always be a family affair. If I become the cleaning martyr I will always wear that title. This happens when moms are so dedicated to cleaning up after everyone that even when the kids are fully grown, mom is still the one always sweeping the floor, doing the laundry and putting it away. Not to mention the one who cooks the food, washes the dishes and cleans the kitchen floor. That is really not for me and who has time for that any way. So while my kids are still young it is important to awaken in them the realization that they can clean too. When the house is upside down we work together to put everything back in place and turn the place right side up again. Assigned chores are a vital part of proper child rearing. It helps instill qualities of hard work, responsibility and community. In our house everybody gets assigned a very important task to do. Every day we all get a chance to shine at home. The five year old is learning laundry skills, the seven year old is flipping pancakes and the nine year old is mastering the art of cleaning dishes. The two month old can relax and watch but hubby doesn’t get a free pass he gets to join the fun too.
Until next time- be well
Dr Kathy