In an attempt to document the true and actual facts of my life right now I must tell you that I have not left my house today. I have not even tasted daylight. Well, in all truth and actuality, I was so desperate for fresh air and sunshine that I went out to get the mail and tried to walk really slow so that I could have a few minutes of blue sky. The trouble is this - jobs.
My kids have worked really hard this summer and done really hard jobs. And by kids - I mean boys because Ava hasn't done any jobs this summer. This is definately my fault and a combination of these unfortunate factors:
1) Ava is our third child and I am tired of fighting, singing, tricking the kids into doing jobs.
2) Ava is our first girl - so I have gone easy on her and am paying for it now.
3) Ava was born with a special gift of smiling at her job chart and then disappearing for long enough that I forget that there was something she was supposed to do. (If this sounds familiar it is because she inherited this genetic blessing from her mother.)
So the buck stops here and now. I took Ava gently to her room and told her that she could come out when the first job on her job chart (cleaning her room) was completed. Only I totally underestimated the standoff ability of this 5 year old. She has been in her room the entire day. No lunch, No snacks. Which means I have been here at home the entire day. Send help. please.
I so want my kids to learn to love hard work. I want them to love a challenge and not fear that which is difficult. I want them to feel the sense of accomplishment that can only come after you have done something that you didn't think you could do. I want them to have the mountains and not settle for the valleys because they are afraid of mountain climbing. And so I will stay and wait. I will be patient (hopefully, maybe) and loving (definately) and try, try and try again to teach someone that I love so much something that I think is so important. But if you could send some milk and eggs they would be much appreciated.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
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3 comments:
This is definitely karma for all the times that you disappeared after doing one dish! Very funny!
Even I heard how you could expertly disappear with the "homework" excuse and go in and read in your room. Stock up on milk and eggs 'cause you are in for a long one.
Oh Ava! What a smart little girl! Very funny!
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