Kids And ChoresНамуна

“We fought a lot about chores today,” Alaysha’s mother said. “Let’s write down a plan to do better.”

Alaysha groaned. “Is this another chore chart?”

“No, it’s more like a web,” her mother said, taking a piece of paper and writing the name of a family member in each corner.

“Here are the people who live in this house. Now here are tomorrow’s chores,” she said, making a list down the center of the page. The list included Cook Breakfast, Fold Laundry, and other chores. “We could think of these as things we have to do, But I see them as things we do because we love each other.”

She drew a line from Mom to Cook Breakfast. “When I make breakfast, I’m helping you start your day with energy.” She continued the line to Alaysha’s name. “That makes you happy. And it shows I love you.”

She drew a line from Alaysha to Fold Laundry to Mom. “When you put away the clothes, I know that everything is ready when I need it. That makes me feel loved.”

She drew more lines connecting the members of her family to their chores, and to the people who benefit from them. “We’ve each got many different ways to show we love each other.”

“Okay.” Alaysha said, “I get it. Can I keep the picture? I want to remember how to love you next time before you get mad.”

Chores show the people you live with that you care about them. You may not like doing them, but you’ll like the results that come from your work: happy parents, proud kids, a clean place to live, and a family who likes being together.

The writer of Ecclesiastes encouraged people to work together because “a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” This image applies to chores directly: three people can clean a house better so the cleanliness isn’t soon broken. But it’s true of your family too. When you work together, your relationships aren’t easily broken. You value each other more, and fight less. Those are results worth working for.

Try this: Draw your own family chore web and post it somewhere you can all see.

Prayer: God, give me enthusiasm to love my family through my work today. Amen.

If you enjoyed this plan, find more plans from the Theology of Work Project at www.theologyofwork.org/devotions