Columnists, Opinion
 By  Melissa Cason Published 
7:58 am Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Learning to juggle again

It wasn’t that long ago I could get everyone off to school and work on time; do homework in the afternoons; cook supper each night; and manage to rake out the house once a week without help from my never-home husband. But, that was then, and this is now.

As you all know, we added little Gavin into our family so now I have three kids instead of two.

What a difference that third child makes!

Jimmy started Fire College this week. So he’s off to school by 6:30 each morning, and not home until around six each night. That means  on Tuesdays I have to get the paper out in time for me to leave by 4 p.m. so I can get  Cameron ready for his game at 5:30 p.m.

Jimmy’s mom is gracious enough to watch the boys in the afternoons and Gavin all day while Jimmy’s at school and I’m at work.

She is going to watch them this summer too. Hopefully by the time school gets out, things will get better. I can drop the boys off everyday, and pick them up. And,  hopefully, I will adjust to not having my dinner cooked and my house clean every day.

Jimmy’s been home so long, I think it’s safe to say I am spoiled. For the last year or so, I haven’t  had to worry about cleaning or cooking for that matter. Jimmy would do it.

Even when he worked at UMS last summer, he would still manage to clean the house and cook supper most nights. Now, I’m back at the post.

We told the boys they are going to have to pitch in and help especially since they have a baby brother.

All their lives I’ve done everything for them. I just figured it was my job, and just did it. Now, I see the error of my ways.

I mean my boys are capable of cleaning their room, but they don’t do it regularly.

They are capable of washing dishes, but they never  have.

They can even sort their laundry, but they don’t.  We have done it all for them. But, today is a new day in my house. They are going to clean their room, wash dishes, and even help fold laundry.

Now, they won’t like it, and they will probably have to be spanked or grounded before they decide it’s better to pitch in, but they will do it.

Now that I’ve seen the error of my ways, I plan to do it right with Gavin from the start. Is two too early to start making him pick up his toys? I hope not because he will get chores at age two.

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