Since two of my boys are in school and had Family Day and the rest of the week off from school, I decided I would also take a break from work and try to check a few things off of a rather neglected to-do list.
One thing I’ve been striving for in the past few years is a greater balance between work, family time, and rest. I’ve also tried to make family work time fun, because our three active boys don’t always want to stop their play to help around the house.
Perhaps bribing children isn’t the best parenting choice, but it sure does work. We make cleaning up fun by using small treats. For every few tasks completed, they get a Bugle chip or M&M, for example.
When I first implemented this, I was amazed by how much faster they moved their bodies in order to get that reward. And after awhile, they just keep going without asking for a treat as they’re actually enjoying the task. Amazing!
Music is also a great motivator and makes chores a lot more enjoyable. That’s a lie — it keeps me sane. Using Spotify, they’ve been able to make their own playlist of their favourite songs that we play from my phone while we do a job. Sometimes they have to suffer through my playlist, too.
I also wanted them to be able to enjoy their break, so the deal we made was, if they helped me to finish one chore each day, they could chose an activity to do that day. They made a list, we made a schedule, and off we went.
In a week, we went to a movie, went swimming, went skating, had a movie night at home, and had a fire and hot dog roast. We also deep-cleaned their room, picked up their toy room and got some laundry done, all while singing, dancing, making it a game and, for the most part, keeping it fun. I got some help finishing some household chores, and they had a blast of a week that I hope they will remember for some time to come — it was a no-lose scenario.
And from the seemingly mundane came some magic moments, as well. At one point while we were working in the kitchen, I turned around to see three not-so-little boys, happily engaged in washing cupboard doors. All of them were singing, knowing every word off by heart — and they were in tune, too! I’m not sure I’ve ever been prouder as a mom. It was beautiful. I had to be careful not to geek out too much so I wouldn’t spook them.
Life is hectic, and no parent is perfect, so grab these moments when you can. Some of my most cherished memories are when we’ve had a spontaneous water balloon war or tickle fight or a dance party in the living room just for the heck of it.
So, while I wish I could regale you with stories from my week off of drinking refreshing beverages on a warm beach somewhere, or that I could tell you tales of some grand adventure, just hanging out with my three boys was pretty great, too.
Because sometimes happiness isn’t big or flashy — sometimes happiness is quieter and sweeter. Like watching three young boys cheerfully scrubbing cupboards while singing perfectly in pitch.
And hey, I want a rematch this summer with that balloon war. Now that we have Walkie Talkies, I bet we could finally get one over on dad’s team.