Children are an Asset, not a Liability

I picked up a book off the clearance table at the LDS bookstore recently entitled WORK (Wonderful Opportunities for Raising Kids). The author has ten children. We've been trying to get our boys to do chores, and of course it is frustrating, so I wanted some inspiration. This woman's catchphrase is "Children are an asset, not a liability." If you are stressed and your house is a mess, you aren't having your kids do enough. With that in mind, we've been making some changes. This morning I woke up feeling crappy with a bad head cold, sneezing my head off. The house was a total disaster, as it always seems to be on Monday mornings. I felt like curling up on the couch under a blanket and letting the kids sleep. I did not feel like herding them through their morning chores. Well, I decided to offer a small incentive. I told them if they got their morning things done without complaint, quickly, they could have a small prize (I keep thrift store trinkets in a closet). Well, they did! Piano was practiced, scriptures were read, beds were made, dishes were unloaded, floors were swept, etc. The house looks SO much better and I feel SO much better about life! Sometimes our efforts do pay off. When I look at my children as an asset, as helpers, not as hindrances and mess-makers, things change! Of course, getting them to do their chores is still an uphill battle, but my attitude makes a lot of difference, and sometimes I get to experience the payoff, like this morning!