One at a Time - A Busy Mom's Life

Growing up in the Philippines, we always have maids to do things for us. That doesn't mean that I grew up not knowing how to keep a clean house. My parents made sure that we know how to do jobs around the house, well, maybe with the exception of washing the clothes. So when I migrated here in the U.S. 20 years ago, I did not have problems adjusting to the way of life (no helper to do things for you.) When I moved in with an aunt to be closer to school which is in San Francisco, I helped around the house and even did all the cooking for her so dinner is ready when they come home from work. Come to think of it, I helped her out in everything. Thank goodness she doesn't have any copper kitchen sinks or else it'll be a pain to clean it.

Now that I have my own kids, I want them to grow up knowing how to do their own laundry and clean up after themselves. Of course there are many times when they would complain but I just brush it off. Kids complain about anything and believe me, I've gotten used to it. The first chore they have is helping me sort out the laundry; I started my son with this one. It is easy and doesn't require much effort. For my daughter, I've taught her how to fold her clothes the right way. They also put away the dishes and silverware from the dishwasher. My daughter has also started vacuuming her own room. It helps that we have a Dyson which is very light. I don't hear much complaint from her compared to the old vacuum we have. Next up on my list is teaching her how to cook although she seems more interested in baking. Just like any other parent, I want to raise my kids to be responsible adults. Teaching them how to do chores around the house is definitely an important part in reaching that goal.