"What are chores, Mom?"

Yep, I once heard a child ask his mother that. I stood shell-shocked. Incredulous.

I had just been talking with Mom about how to get her child to become more “self-motivated” (modern speak for what we Old School folks still call “not bein’ so dang dadburn lazy”) about his school work.

Just a moment before I had asked Mom the following question, “Does your son have any chores to do at home?”  

And do you want to hear something even more incredulous? Mom replied to me, “No. Chores are a thing of the past, Mr. T. My children don’t need them. I think forcing a child to do chores is actually a form of slavery. My husband and I both enable our children to make every moment count toward learning and improving themselves, not doing chores like sweeping floors.”

Have you ever intentionally bit your tongue, my friends? I mean really, really intentionally bit it hard.

What I wanted to say were the following words: “Yes, ma’am, you are enabling your children, alright. You are enabling them to feel self-centered and privileged for the rest of their lives. They will grow up to make the world a darker, less empathetic, less joyful place for us all.” Well, ultimately I didn’t say all that, but I sure felt like it (and I actually might say it all now if I could go back in time - for the sake of the child).

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As a young boy, I loved chopping wood for our fireplace. Absolutely loved it. No, it was no more dangerous than riding in a car, if you had a father like mine who showed you how, and trusted (and expected) you to be careful while having fun.