Chores

Blog Prompt: Did you have specified chores as a child? If so, what were they? Were you given an allowance for completing them? How much? What chores did you feel were unfair? Which ones did you enjoy the most?

I remember that I had to make my bed and clean my room before I could go play. As I got older, it was my job to wash the dinner dishes, take out the trash, and feed the dog. Keep in mind that when I was teenager, I was the only child in the house so I got stuck with it all. I also had to walk the dog in the morning, when I got home from school, after dinner, and before I went to bed. On Saturdays I had to clean the bathroom, vaccuum and mop the basement, and dust all the furniture. When it snowed in the winter, I had to help shovel the driveway (boy, I don't miss that in South Carolina!). I didn't get an allowance but if I ever wanted anything or needed anything, my parents pretty much got me whatever it was. I learned early not to take advantage of this because I worried about how hard my dad worked. My older sisters would get me things if my parents could not afford to get it for me.

I hated doing all the chores and used to think I was like Cinderella. I used to think I was being abused and used as slave labor. I had to do all those chores before I could play with my friends or go anywhere and I thought that was not fair (until I had my own kids)! Obviously I did not enjoy any of them! I still hate cleaning the house!

12 years ago I hired a maid to clean my house every other week and just recently cancelled it because I retired. My house is much messier and dirtier than it ever was!