What do chores and drawers have in common?

Photo Credit: Jarek Ceborski on Unsplash.com

Here's an audio clip so you can listen to the Mom Tip while you clean out the junk drawer.

Hi, I’m Regan Barnes from Momivate, and this is your two-minute Mom Tip empowering you to elevate your mothering experience.

I have limited energy, Mamas, so I have to choose wisely what to spend it on. I choose to NOT waste energy on complaining about chores, 'cuz they gotta get done so we might as well use our energy to work rather than whine. Chores aren't a punishment! They aren't slave labor devised to build character, as my children believe! They are simply what needs to be done as a result of something else being done first. And so I present to you…

The Parable of the Open Drawers

In our family, we like to eat. It's a silly little thing, I know, but something about growling tummies, and boom, we're in the brand-spankin'-clean kitchen lookin' for somethin' to put down the ol' cake-hole. I don't know if this happens in your house, but alluvasudden, the kitchen ain't so clean anymore. So the conversation goes something like this: 

MOM: Hey, kiddos, now that we’ve eaten, let's clean up!

KIDDOS (in unison): But Mah-ahm, we didn't do anything wrong. We just had a snack. Don't punish us!

Seeing the need for a demonstration, I open all the drawers in the kitchen, leaving them out. Then I try to dance through the kitchen, dramatically banging into the open drawers...

MOM: Children, chores are like closing a drawer. You close it because you opened it, and because a closed drawer clears the way for more fun.  In an area with open drawers, ya can't have as much fun. Taking the time to close drawers ...or do chores... gives you space to be free.

I see the lights go on in my oldest child's eyes. Whew! Once I have him helping me, together we can convince the others of the cleverness of this perspective!

Moms, try Dancing among Open Drawers this week, illustrating the necessity and blessing of chores to your kiddos! Then share if this practice elevates your mothering!

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