Work

 When Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden, they were commanded "By the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread".  Work for what you get.  It's among the first things they were told.  

Dishes.  Laundry.  Meal prep.  Diapers. Car care. Yard work.  Cleaning. Errands.  Make your bed.  Tidying.  Work.  

Chores are a part of life. They are routine tasks that by their very nature will have to be done again and again. 

I'm not sure when I developed this tendency.  It's not a great one.  But I don't always make my kids follow through with their duties and chores. 

I suppose it's a bit of laziness on my part.  

It's easier to do it myself and avoid the conflict.  

Other times I recognize they are busy or that I haven't completed my own .

Also I don't love myself in lecture mode.  Which isn't even that effective.  

But I do recognize the importance of hard work as a principle of Heaven.  I know it's my responsibility to teach them and that their lives will be happier and more productive if they have the skills and pattern of hard work.  And that so will mine. 

Elder A Theodore Tuttle phrases it this way.  "Chores are blessings in overalls. Their value remains long after the duty is done."

Those same things we do daily to make our lives and others' better can  be a blessing.  

I also know that there are better ways to do it.  And that includes me, not just the kids.  

Make it fun. Work together and share the load.  Encourage. 

When my kids were little sometimes I would fill a pan with soapy water, and we would step into it with our socks on and then "skate" around the kitchen mopping the floor.  We would giggle and laugh and the floor got cleaned and hearts were knit closer. 

At our house if you eat a meal you participate in the clean up.  We all just pitch in.  Sometimes we turn on music and sing or talk while we do it.  Silliness is often a part of it.  Working together is another law of Heaven.  Have the whole family chip in for service to others. Or call a friend. 

Sometimes tasks seem to big and need broken down.  Other times we need to recognize that our kids are capable and encourage them to take on something themselves instead of doing it for them.

One time when our mailbox was broken I sent Colton to the garage and told him to find what he needed to fix it.  He did and learned some things along the way. I was impressed with his problem solving and able to work on my own duties at that time. 

Regardless, don't let the world's message that we somehow shouldn't all have to participate in our daily duties make us feel resentful about the very things that can bring us blessings.  Just change your mindset and have some fun doing it.  Share the load.  And turn the music up and dance while you do it.