Thoughts on parenting from a 22 year old. . .

Is it crazy to expect my children to do a lot of house-work in America?

To wake up every morning and have a couple of chores they know they have to do?

Is it crazy to expect my 8 yr old to wash dishes?
My 7 yr old to take out the trash?
For my 8/9 yr old to vacuum and mop or wash clothes?
For my 7 yr old to make simple meals and my 10 year old to make more complex meals?
For my 7 yr old to start mowing the lawn?
For my 7/8 yr old to clean the bathrooms?

I don’t want to be a slave-driver. . . and I am definitely not a clean freak, so I don’t expect them to clean the same things every day. . . . and we can rest on the weekends. . . and I still want them to play a lot. . . and I don’t expect them to do ALL the house work. . . but where did we get this idea that children shouldn’t work/do chores and should only play?

From my observations, kids instinctively know how to play and have fun. We do not need to work very hard to give them opportunities for that. They can have fun while working, especially if they have siblings or friends working with them.

But if they are taught that chores are not fun at all and it is something that everyone hates—then of course they’ll hate doing it!

At the very least, I want my children to know that work/chores are a part of life.
They are necessary.

You cannot make it through the day without it.
And they not just for mom and dad and the housekeep to do.
YOU, personally, cannot make it through the day without it.

In my sociological studies, I learned about how, in our American society today, people are becoming adults at a later and later age. Meaning we are maturing later.

We are acting like kids for a longer period of time.

It seems like, today, many people are not starting to become "adults" until they are in their mid to late 30’s.
The stage of "figuring yourself out" is lasting much longer. The stage of "play over work" is lasting much, much longer (and some never come out of it).

Meaning, it is taking so much longer to figure out the fact that part of life is working hard.
I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that we are not trained to work very much as children. And many times, if we do work, it is ONLY be to be paid a sum of money by our own parents.

Is this strange to anyone else?

I realize that there was a period of history where children were probably worked too hard and were not allowed to really "be kids," or play, or use their imagination. And so we began to go in the other direction.

But why must we, as the human race, always go SO FAR in the opposite direction?

(I hope the title of this post reveals my humility and my awareness of the lack of first-hand experience I actually have as I write this)

Here's just a few more pictures of life these past few weeks:

Wasswa and Peter taught me how to make Chipati!! I can not wait to make this when I get back home!

Just cookin some dinner with Mama Jane

Planting some Irish potatoes!

Fresh fish just sitting outside. . .mmm. . . I just cant bring myself to eat it. . .

Finally got rid of the bat! He started crawling onto the board inside my room and I just couldn't handle that. So peter got up there and clogged the hole for me! Yay for peaceful nights!