The Summer of Sara

Sara's summer vacation has officially begun. She slept in until 7:15 this morning. She was upset to learn that Daddy doesn't get summer vacation. She was curious what fabulous, extravagant plans we have. I explain that we were taking it easy this week. Then, I explained to her that my main goal for this summer was to teach her to be more independent and self-sufficient. As all moms know, it's usually faster, neater and easier to do things for them. The buck stops today. She is going to make her own lunches and breakfasts more. She is going to get better at showering and washing her own hair. Thanks to Locks of Love, her short hair is much easier to clean. During the school year, she is very good about doing her homework and getting her backpack ready for the next day. This summer, she needs to work on keeping her room clean, putting clothes away, setting and clearing the table. She still likes helping with laundry. I'm hoping to capitalize on that and put her to work more. Since she convinced us to start an allowance for her, it's a good time to discuss increased chores and responsibility. I need to learn to step back more. I am guilty of forgetting I have an able-bodied 7 year old capable of doing manual and menial labor. Believe me, if I'm going to pay her, she is going to earn every penny. My parents were firm believers in delegating chores from an early age. We raked leaves, weeded the garden, mowed the lawn, did dishes, set and cleared the table and made our lunches for school. So you don't think we lived in Dickensian times, we did NOT walk uphill both ways to school in the snow 365 days a year. We survived these chores and lived to tell the tale. Sara will, too. She will be a better person for it. She just won't know it right away.