Throughout my growing up years, every Saturday morning, I would stumble out of my bedroom in the early morning hours, dreading the sight that I would always find. Very neatly, on the corner of the table, there would be three pieces of paper and one would always have my name on it. Responsibility being taught, passed down from parent to child.
The Lists I Lived and Learned By
It was my list for the day, created by my very organized and very early rising father. My chores; the bane of my existence throughout my childhood. Washing dishes, vacuuming floors, sweeping floors, doing laundry…you get the idea.
I remember how badly I hated that list, however, looking back, I am so happy, so proud that my father made those lists and made me follow through with them. They taught me one of the most significant lessons of my life. Which I have since used to pattern my life. …and now it’s my kids’ turn! *devilish grin
And the List Goes On… Responsibility is Passed Down
Around our home, there is never a shortage of things that need doing and the children get their share of them, just like everyone else.
All of our chores are assigned based on ability, but a challenge never hurt anyone…it only makes you better! ( I must admit that I get a really great giggle watching my little guy lift a bag of trash that’s bigger than he is into the burn barrel, or drag a 200 foot water hose across the pasture)
Of course, I get the typical moans and groans as soon as I mention the word ‘list’, but once everyone gets going, all is well.
And they work.
And they learn.
And they get the experience that is too often left out these days.
What They Get From Working Mom’s Lists
They get the experience of doing something that has to be done, even if it’s not fun. Of course, there are other things that come along with that as well; like a sense of accomplishment.
My kids get excited when they tell me what they have gotten done and they feel proud of the work that they did. They also gain knowledge by experience, which cannot be beaten. People can learn in many different ways, but nothing beats learning by doing.
Personal Responsibility Needs to Make a Comeback
Personal responsibility is, sadly, a concept that is fading fast. Society, it seems, tends to tell people not to worry about anything because there is someone else to do what needs doing and nothing is ever really your fault.
It’s a society that says you don’t have to be great at anything, because everyone will get a trophy anyway. It says you don’t have to work hard or work your way up from the bottom because everyone should just automatically be paid the same and get the same benefits. These days, society is creating the most mediocre civilization ever.
Responsibility as a Child leads to Independence as an Adult
I have known many young mothers with the mindset that children shouldn’t have to work, they should just get to be kids’; running around, playing, goofing off, etc. And while there is certainly something to be gained by playtime, if that is all they are made to do, then how will they ever learn to be adults?
How will they know how to operate and function properly in society once they no longer have mom and dad to do everything for them? Once you have become an adult and you are out there in the real world, it’s a little late to start learning these things, don’t ya think?
This practice leaves kids way behind the curve and struggling for a long time, at a time in their lives when their futures are dependent upon their actions.
If We Fail, There is a Good Chance They Will Fail Too
As parents, it is our responsibility to teach responsibility to our children. We fail if we don’t take the time and the effort to teach our children to work, and to teach them why we work and how to work. It seems so simple, but if you look around these days, you almost have to ask yourself what on earth are parents teaching their kids?
I believe that this subject deserves a great deal more time and study so I will be devoting a series to teaching children responsibility, titled Raising Adults. I would certainly welcome any thoughts, insight and suggestions.
See Also ‘Teaching Responsibility; One Mom’s Powerful Take’
MORE WAYS TO CONNECT
We also, as a homesteading family, have three additional blogs that might interest you.Two Oaks Farm Talkconcerns the more technical side of homesteading. We discuss subjects like gardening, food prep, and farm building and construction with lots of tutorials!
Farm Raised Familyis basically a hub for everything under the Two Oaks Farmstead umbrella. You can learn a great deal about all parts of the farmstead there. TheFarm Raised Family blogfocuses on financial matters such as budgeting, saving, and more and on current events affecting families.
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Farm Life and Freedomis the new podcast we are in the process of launching! It is going to be so much fun!
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