When I was a kid my parents had a list of chores that had to be done Saturday mornings.   The list was generated after we were in bed on Friday nights, and awaited us on the kitchen table when we got up the next day.   Chores were grouped in relationship to how hard they were.  And every chore had a little box in front of it where we would put our initial, indicating we’d do the work described.  We each had to chose one of the harder ones first, and had to finish it before we could choose another easier task.  We were allowed to sign up for only one chore at a time.

Here’s the trick and the reason this worked.  There were four of us.  And if any of us wanted to make sure we didn’t  have to do the really yucky jobs we’d be up and out of bed before our siblings so that we could claim the least worst job for ourselves.  And we didn’t dawdle doing the work either, because we wanted to make sure we got the next least horrible chore.

So this Saturday as I mentally list the things I should get done I picture that chore list with it’s little boxes ready for initials.  And I smile.  We might have thought it was terrible back when we were teenagers, but right now I’d be thrilled to share my list of jobs with my three siblings!

Cause there isn’t anyone else here that’s going to initial the boxes on my list of things to do!