My Parable of the Chores

A couple of months ago, one of my children asked me a tough question.
As I did my best to answer her concerns, I made up my own parable to try and help her understand.

My Parable of the Chores:

In order to clean the house, as loving parent, I assign out jobs to everyone. 
One child I ask to do the dishes,
one child I ask to vacuum,
one child I ask to fold the laundry. 
All the jobs need to be done.  - To those who might argue, one job or another is "more important" than the rest, imagine that job was left undone for a year in your home . . . . . they are ALL important.

Now imagine one child says:
          "Why don't I get to vacuum?"  
          "It's not fair that they get to vacuum and I don't."  
          "Aren't I good enough to vacuum?"  
          "Why don't I get to do that important job?" 

Loving parent answers this:
          It's not what I asked you to do.  I've asked you to do many chores. 
          As parent in charge of this home, I choose who I will ask to do what task.
          Me not asking you to vacuum does NOT mean:
                    "You aren't good enough to do it."
                    "I love the other child more."
          It just means, it's just not what I asked you to do. 

So now the children have a choice. 
Do they spend their time, do what they are asked to do, and do their best to do it well? 
Or do they complain, protest, and cry "Injustice!" Meanwhile neglecting the things they have been asked to do and leaving work undone.

Not so little anymore.

There is a first time for everything.  

This is not a complete collection of proof, I'm missing a few pictures, but every year when it comes time to celebrate these two, I have made TWO cakes.  I've felt that since there will be countless things they end up having to share in this life, a birthday cake should not be one of them if I can help it.  

But this was the year I decided that it might be okay to do just one.  I picked a theme they both liked and was super excited to try out a special cake pan I've had for years.  

But oh my goodness, in comparison with other years, I did NOT save any time by only making one.  This shnazzy cake pan of mine had a from scratch recipe on the back of the box.  Wanting this to be a success, I decided to make the recipe that came with the pan.  

Heavens to betsy it took me FOREVER.  It took me 4 hours to "cream" and "separate yolks" and "beat until they peak" and "fold in" said peaks and "divide" and get two shakes of brown and spoon evenly into the strip divider.  And that's not including clean up from all that riff raff.  It's taken me 4 hours to ice cakes before, but it usually only take me 4 min to make the actual cake.  This from scratch business is for the birds!  

I was super happy with the end result.  But if I ever get an itch to make a checkerboard cake again, I'm using a box mix!

As fun as cakes are, it can't distract from the fact that I can no longer categorize myself as a "young mother" anymore.  Whew.  That's kinda hard to wrap my head around.  But my own self issues aside, these two are now young women.  I often refer to the phrase, "It takes a village to raise a child."  My heart is full of gratitude for the village I have to help me raise these two.  Everyone was so excited for them and made them feel so special.  And they have already had the opportunity to grow outside their comfort zone and do some really fun things.

THE WIZARD OF OZ