Work Place

Tasks.  The honey-do list.  To-do list.  The work you do on the weekends, when you're supposed to be off from work.
The work you do inside the home.  Or at least within the confines of your property lines.
Chores.
We've all had them.  And they've been around since the dawn of time.
The work we would rather not do, but we do it anyway.  The things that have to get done.
Laundry.  Pay bills.  Cut grass.  Trim hedges.  Vacuuming.  Cleaning.  Take the garbage out.
Lately, I hear more and more people complain about how kids are getting fatter, and spend less time outdoors.  Not only that, but fewer and fewer parents don't assign tasks to their children to make them appreciate the value of work and how it's necessary in every culture on this planet.
Just a couple weeks ago, our two-and-a-half year-old daughter became exposed to chores for the very first time.
Our daughter does want to help us around the house.  Unfortunately, her little body and her still-developing motor skills limits her to what she can do, despite her still-developing brain with a wisdom that extends far beyond her two and a half years.
But I came up with an idea.
We live along a state highway.  For this convenience, we're exposed to every litterbug on the planet who chucks an empty cigarette pack or water bottle out their window, rather than wait until they get home to put it where it belongs. 
During the cold weather months, a good bit of it accumulates in a portion of our yard near the road's shoulder.  It was particularly unbearable that day.
I got an old shopping bag and went hunting for Savannah.
"Wanna help Daddy?"
"Okay!"  The smiling face upturned towards me showed me she was happy to oblige.
Before we went outside, I sat her down and told her we knew how much she wanted to help us and how much help she could be with what she was about to do.
We went out to the front yard and I showed her what garbage was in the yard.  I held the bag open while she picked up every bit of trash.  She did so without so much as a whine, whimper or other complaint.
Then to the back yard. 
We have a huge black walnut tree in our backyard.  The nuts drop from the trees in the wintertime, and often rot under the snow until next season. 
I showed Savannah the walnuts under the tree and what to look for.  She happily went and plucked the nuts from the ground, along with the sticks and twigs that also needed to be picked up.
She even made up her own little song while picking up the nuts. 
Then came grass clippings.  She began to run out of gas as this little project progressed.
Then in the house for lunch.  Then potty time. 
Then came nap time.  And she went down QUICK.
All I could do was sit back and smile.
Parents.
There is a method to the madness.


NEXT WEEK:  Do I still really have to tease next week?