Monday, January 16, 2012

Eff Parenting: The Household Staff

gosfordL2707_468x455Managing a household with growing children can be a challenge.  My girls are expected to help out around the house and I refuse to do things for them that they can do for themselves.  They don’t always appreciate the expectation. 

So, when my children ask me to do things for them that they can clearly do for themselves, I've taken to telling them, "I'll notify the household staff".  I then pretend to call someone on an ear piece, conduct a sometimes lengthy imaginary conversation, and then relay to my children with feigned disappointment that I've been told, coincidentally, we don't actually HAVE household staff.

My younger one, Cate loves this game.  Full of hope and naiveté that such a staff is on standby somewhere she waits patiently and listens. My older one, Taylor immediately rolls her eyes and walks away. I'll sometimes write it down for her and then stop by her room with it, and tell her someone has left her an urgent message. She dislikes that a great deal.  I use lots of smiley faces and stars in the note.

I’m making my children more self-reliant… one sarcastic conversation at a time. 

No comments:

Post a Comment