Do you know the neatest thing? I remember one night, as a kid, when my parents had all of us kids sitting at the table cutting corn off the cob so that they could freeze it. Well, after an hour or two of this, I said to my dad, “could we have ice cream afterwards?” And I remember him looking at my mom, winking. Well, instead of ice cream from the freezer they packed us up, drove four miles and stopped at Dairy Queen. And, unlike normal, they let us order whatever we wanted.
Do you know why I remembered it?
Because getting the Peanut Buster Parfait after chores wasn’t normal. It was a gift. A reward. And I remember my dad saying to us kids about how hard we worked and how grateful they were for our contribution.
So remember that. When the kids grumble or you feel guilty. Because my parents didn’t entertain us – they made us work and taught us to value the moments, the freedom, and the space of the rewards of work.
Sometimes the simplest moments happen in the fabric of life and work.
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For more on the value of hard work and learning the balance, check out Rachel’s new book, The Brave Art of Motherhood.
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This piece originally appeared at findingjoy.net, published with permission.
