People are often really surprised at how much we accomplish.  I’m always getting asked how I manage to do it all.  My standard reply is, “I don’t do it all.”

Sometimes, I’m tempted to reply, “My kids do it all.”

But that’s not exactly true either.  Jim does a lot.  And I do a lot.  And there’s a lot I would like to do that doesn’t get done.

But the truth is that one of my main jobs is to train my children.   I want each of my children (whether they are a boy or a girl) to be able to manage a household and their life. So they each need to be taught everything.

I start them really early.  Because, when they’re young, working with (and for) Mommy is great fun.  Most of the time they don’t realize they’re working. Although sometimes they do.

You need to remember that your children are not going to do things as well as you could.  And they’re definitely not going to do them as fast as you could.  While you’re training them, you may get frustrated and want to do the job yourself.

But don’t do it!

Spend the time training them (despite the delays and frustrations) and you will reap the rewards later.

The other night, Fletcher made sweet potatoes for dinner. (Yes, my children cook too!)  He made one too many sweet potatoes and there were left-overs.

So Jade was called in to put the sweet potatoes into tupperware.

Notice the sweet potoatoes on the table.  Notice the extra sweet potatoes in the bowl.  Notice the fact that she chose a tupperware that was bigger than it needed to be.

Now, notice the fact that the sweet potatoes are in a tupperware and I didn’t have to do it!

Fletcher will wipe the extra sweet potatoes off the table (and not onto the floor). Greyden will wash out the bowl. And if there isn’t much room in the fridge, Jim will manage to fit it in somehow.

So no worries!  As she gets older, she’ll do a better job.

Perhaps when people ask me how they can get more accomplished, I should answer, “Don’t underestimate your children!”