Work

The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more.

~ Jonas Salk

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I get a lot of random catalogs. I understand how some of them found me, but others... well, I have no clue why I get them. Anyway, I currently get a catalog that is toys almost entirely for children between 6-11 years old. I know some children those ages, so it's fine. However, why does a company exist that only makes toys for kids those specific ages?

That's not the point of this post, though. The point of this post is that one of the items in this catalog is a "Responsibility Chart." 

(pause)

No child wants that. 

Well, maybe there are a few children out there who would want it. They are also the children who need more toys than all the other kids because none of the other kids want to play with that child.

(pause)

I just thought of a new product. It's called an "Irresponsibility Chart." As a parent, THOSE are the memories you want to keep track of because they become awesome stories. I mean, do you want to talk with people at Endora's graduation party about how she always put away her clothes and how many times she emptied the dishwasher OR about she gave her cousin a bunch of medicine she found in the bathroom or the time that she mailed out invites to her birthday sleepover without checking with you? And also it wasn't her birthday.

Do you want to raise someone who values work more than adventures? I'm not the boss of you, but no. No you don't want to raise someone who values work more than adventures. Look what that's gotten us.

All that to say, I DID order the responsibility chart -- for Leslie. There's really a lot more she should be doing around here. I mean, someone has to, and I'm going to start going and doing that adventure stuff, so I don't have time.