I have never been able to stick to a chore chart for the kids. It just is SO hard for me to do. With that said, they definitely do chores and help pitch in around the house. Since Canaan was quite young we have been "teaching him to fish" not just "catching fish" for him. He has learned to cook along side me, clean up after himself, pitch in on family chores and all that good stuff that makes little boys turn into independent men someday. Ezra is just now coming along in that process too and it gives him such a sense of achievement to help where he can.
(Although I will now add this: Today when we arrived at the tennis court I asked Ezra to carry a few things. He said "oh mommy, I don't think I can; my back hurts." I have a pinched nerve right now and can't lift him and so I guess he's picked up on the "my back hurts" phrases....love that!)
Anyhow, on Sunday morning I had a flurry of things to do. Clean the house for a group of people coming over that afternoon, dinner to start in the crock pot because I was going to be at a meeting from 4-6, trying to remember what I needed to take to church, getting dressed, etc...
I walked into the kitchen after getting dressed and found Canaan opening cans of beans, tomatoes, and sauce for the chili. He had already finished nearly all of it when I came in! (without being asked, I might add!)
Ezra was helping out his daddy do a few dishes and I stood there and realized 1. how blessed I am 2. that all the hard work in teaching our children to help out and be a part of this family team has really started to pay off!
He felt such a sense of accomplishment opening all of the cans and making the chili himself...oh yeah, he had browned the meat too!
We all scurried off to church and I was happy to have made it off to church on time. On time for a 10:30am service...but wait, Mike remembered on the way that church started at 10am not 10:30am. Seriously? Can you believe I am on staff there and had somehow thought it started at 10:30? Oh well...another day in the life!