The Chore List

[Debi]

GROWING UP I HAD CHORES TO DO. CHORES CAME BEFORE PLAY AND THERE WAS NO NEGOTIATION ON THAT! MY SIBLINGS AND I HAD A ROTATING LIST SO THAT NONE OF US GOT BORED WITH THE SAME ASSIGNMENTS.

DID YOU HAVE TO DO CHORES AS A CHILD?
IF SO, WHAT WERE THEY?
DO YOU FEEL THEY HELPED YOU GROW UP?

​

 

[JahaRa]

We had to do chores that consisted of what ever Dad needed help with or Mom wasn't around to do. When I was 12 and my mom had gone back to school my dad decided that my 8 year old sister and I ( 12 at the time) were to be responsible for getting dinner on the table by 4:30 every week day so that he could eat when he got home from work and then go to school. He was going to night school. I thought he was crazy, it was something I could do but my sister was 8. He insisted that we could not work together, one night one of us cooked and the other did dishes, and swapped the next night. I showed my sister how to make a modified version of goulash (we called it that but now I know it was not that - just hamburger, vegetables, tomato sauce and noodles). So, every other night for 2 years we had goulash. Later, the boys had to do dishes and my sister and I just took turns cooking.

When my parents bought a kennel it was my job to feed the dogs in the morning before school, and when we got home I cleaned the kennels. On weekends I helped my mother groom dogs. I still had to cook every other night and still had to be handy to help my dad with stuff. When I joined the army I found basic training like a vacation.

 

[garnetsilver]

Being the eldest girl, a lot of chores got thrown at me. I really resented it as a kid, because there was a lot of diaper changing, and feeding the smallest of my siblings. And then there was dish washing, bed making, sweeping floors. I often got punished, for hiding somewhere and reading a book. As I got older I had to learn to cook.

But when I became a mother, I was thankful for all the training!

 

[JahaRa]

Being the eldest girl, a lot of chores got thrown at me. I really resented it as a kid, because there was a lot of diaper changing, and feeding the smallest of my siblings. And then there was dish washing, bed making, sweeping floors. I often got punished, for hiding somewhere and reading a book. As I got older I had to learn to cook.

But when I became a mother, I was thankful for all the training!

I was the oldest daughter too. I never had to change a diaper until I started babysitting for my aunt. My cousins are 13 years younger than me. Luckily the 4 of us were close enough that I wasn't old enough to change diapers for my siblings. My mother had a weird thing about the washing machine and I was not allowed to touch the washer until I was 17, but then it was added to my list of jobs.

I did know a lot more about life than most girls my age. Things like first aide (parents were gone a lot and the boys were clumsy, also animals had issues I had to take care of), automotive repair, names and uses of a lot of tools, how to tow a car with a pickup, how to groom a poodle for show and any other dog that was a pet, etc.

 

[ozentity]

Looking after the yard and animals was my job. I'm glad because I became a greenkeeper and dog enthusiast.

 

[Lynne]

I can't say I had a daily list of chores, but I did help out when asked. I think by the time I was old enough to really do anything of value I was working. I had a full time babysitting job after school at 12. I was always making my own money because that was the only way I was going to have any lol.

 

[crux]

I was always making my own money because that was the only way I was going to have any lol.

Me too.

 

[crux]

I did various chores around the house as needed -- yard work, car washing, etc but both my parents had businesses in addition to their regular jobs and I helped with those. My dad had a roofing business and I was his helper. I did get some pay for that (but less than minimum wage) and it was awful work. I got no pay for any other home chore type work.

We also had a couple dozen walnut trees on our property and we harvested and processed them each Fall and my parents sold them as a roadside business. That was a lot of work too and I helped for no pay.

My own entrepreneurial activities started at about age 8. I started performing magic and got gigs at parties and social functions for a fee. In my teen years, I formed a rock band and we worked a lot through my high school and college years. I also did some gigs with other musicians apart from my band.

So, I always made my own money. I never got rich but I think I was happier that way.

 

[Lynne]

I did various chores around the house as needed -- yard work, car washing, etc but both my parents had businesses in addition to their regular jobs and I helped with those. My dad had a roofing business and I was his helper. I did get some pay for that (but less than minimum wage) and it was awful work. I got no pay for any other home chore type work.

We also had a couple dozen walnut trees on our property and we harvested and processed them each Fall and my parents sold them as a roadside business. That was a lot of work too and I helped for no pay.

My own entrepreneurial activities started at about age 8. I started performing magic and got gigs at parties and social functions for a fee. In my teen years, I formed a rock band and we worked a lot through my high school and college years. I also did some gigs with other musicians apart from my band.

So, I always made my own money. I never got rich but I think I was happier that way.

We have similar personalities I think, BTW i was a magicians assistant in high school.

 

[crux]

i was a magicians assistant in high school.

Cool. Were you sawed in half?