essay #5 Division

Our house is suprisingly clean considering how many people live in it, and with our busy schedules. But my wife, being the amazing woman that she is, has developed a clear and easy path to a Monk-like clean...if you know what i mean. The division of such work is age appropriate of course, due to the ages of our children, 13, 11, 6, and the fourth is exempt because he's only 7 months old.

For our two oldest daughters, we developed an odd and even type of thing... odd this week and even the next. If this week was an odd week, that person would wash dishes and wipe down counters, and sweep the floor, clean her room, and do her laundry.

If this week was an even week, she would dry and put away the dishes, put away leftovers, clean her room, do her laundry. If one is even, than the other is odd, and the next week they trade, and so on. Seems comfusing, but it works. And since they trade on a weekly basis, it keeps it from getting monotonus.

Then for our 6 year old son, he gathers all the trash to the kitchen door, puts new bags in the trash cans, replenishes the supply of T.P., and makes sure his room is tidy as well. It's good to keep him busy with his chours than him sitting in front of the t.v.

They all do well with it, and it's less for mom and dad to do, although we do all the rest that's behind the scenes! Even though she does not think so, my wife is an awesome cook, so she does most of the cooking in the kitchen. And i help where i can, she says to move aside to let her cook, so more often than not i stand there and admire her fine figure...now there's one thing i LOVE doing!