Oh Deere

Everyone has chores to do. It is part of life and especially part of family life. Many hands make light work, or in the case of young children, many hands make much more work, at least until they are accomplished at a certain task.

Our older girls had daily and weekly chores to do. Unless I lived in a fantasy world, I don't remember much complaining when they were young. When they were teenagers, 2/3 of them had to be threatened into cleaning their rooms. One in particular, who shall remain nameless, even resorted to let me clean her room, ridding it of excess at my discretion. That girl woman told me this very day that she hates cleaning. Sigh.

Now Athena is different from the others. She said to me, and I quote, "I am not much made for working. I would rather play." Dear child. :\  She has daily chores to do that she doesn't mind and then some that she does. Since we moved here her chores have been multiplied but I, for one, think that is good. Nothing wrong with hard work.

She has daily inside chores like every kid. Make your bed, set the table, dry the dishes, etc...She usually feeds the animals their evening meal. She picks up dog poop. She fills water bowls and helps with the grooming. She helps Dad pick up sticks and pick rocks. It has been so hot lately that these chores have not been her favorite. Still she does them, often at a speed that wouldn't even register. Her dad says "If she moved any slower she would be going backwards."  So dad decided that she should have a more exciting job to do. Cut grass.

When she was told of the news she was not at all excited but more nervous than anything. She wanted all the details, all of the instructions up front. She wanted to know if it was safe. Dad said it was but she had to ask me just to make sure. Some things dad says are perfectly safe, mom has a different opinion about. This, I told her was safe. The mower shuts down if weight is lifted off the seat.

 

She took her job seriously. She was nervous at first. She wanted to learn to do it right. She has practiced several times already, just to get the hand of it. Paul hasn't turned the mower blade on yet as she is just getting to know the mower. Next weekend she'll cut grass for real.

 

 

 

She says she needs some more practice and then she'll need a plan when she finally tackles the grass. This job will be one she won't grumble about for a while at least.