Our children have always contributed to the running of the household by being responsible for their chores. However, until recently, their share seemed like tiny drops in an overflowing bucket. The times- they are a changin’ round here! Thanks to my husband’s persistent encouragement to train them to do BIG jobs, I am finally seeing results. I’ve read numerous things from older, wiser, mothers of many that attest to this very thing. Many children can be a big burden or they can be a big blessing, properly trained.

    Guess what!

I no longer have to make bread!!!!!!!

    I have two, beautiful bread bakers in my home now. That’s huge! Either Ashlynne or Rachel makes bread every morning now. For so long I thought it would be so hard to teach them, I just gave up before I started. It turns out that it took me about a week of supervision each morning. And somehow, Miss Ashlynne bakes better, bigger loaves than I do. (I’m going to have to keep an eye on her, I think she’s sneaking in extra yeast!)

Give her of the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the gates.

Prov. 31:31

    Bread making isn’t the only thing I’ve been relieved of. I don’t have to clean up after dinner! I’ve been waiting for this since I was a girl. Yes, once again, Beloved stepped in and insisted.

    “Be-lov-ed, do you have any idea how long it will take to teach them this?”

    “Guess you better get to it, then.” Told you he was charming.

    This one took a little longer than a week, but, oh, was it ever worth it. Now I’ll let you in on a little trick I’ve learned. Lists are great!!! My girls love to check off a list. Wonder where they got that from? I divided up all the the steps it took to clean the kitchen by three and all of a sudden it wasn’t so hard anymore. Since then, I’ve went a little list crazy. Now we have lists for doing a load of laundry, making bread, washing hair, cleaning their room, wiping down the kitchen… well, you get the point! I’ve had a few good laughs when Rachel, faced with a daunting task, would say, “But, Mom, I need a list!”

    Now some might say we give our children too many responsibilities, but I would have to disagree. They absolutely love to do a “big” job. They love the appreciation their daddy shows when he comes home to freshly baked bread for lunch. They beam when we brag to others about how well they can fold laundry. They are earning self esteem by doing something that is needed. Now our only problem is no one wants the “little” jobs anymore! That’s okay, we have a whole crop of new recruits coming up, he he he!

    You know, if the Lord should graciously give us more children, I may be living the life of a queen one day!

1. nurse the baby
2. read to the children
   
3. take a nap