I’ve stumbled onto a secret yesterday that I’m surprised I didn’t recognize earlier:

Water + Chore = Fun

For example, asking one my children to feed the dog results in more than a few “why me?” shrugs. But ask one of them refill the dogs water dish and fight breaks out over who gets to do it.

Having a hard time getting your kids to work in the yard? Just the suggestion of getting to water the flowers (and a lot of driveway and street) will have them running for their work gloves.

Yesterday I decided to wash both cars. I started to lecture the kids on the importance of staying in the back yard while dad worked out front and then it hit me: Hey, this gang of energy might as well start pulling their own weight around here.

So I filled a bucket of soap and water and located a rag for each child. I started two kids on opposite sides of the car and gave Anna Lynn the task of washing the wheels. I went around washing the windows and hood, but I was impressed at how well the kids cleaned everything else!

 
Anna Lynn washing the wheels and the driveway

The only problem I ran into was all three kids wanted to spray the soap off the car and we only have two cars. But even this was solved when I realized Lincoln would rather squirt his sisters than spray off the car so I put him on “towel off all the doors” duty.

Now I just need to dream up a scheme that convinces them how exciting it would be to vacuum the cars.