Hallelujah Chores

I was pleased to see that one of the big findings in the famous Harvard longitudinal study is that kids who do chores are more likely to be happy and successful adults.  I found interesting the reasons hypothesized for this correlation: that chipping in connects you to the need to respond to need, which ends up opening up all sorts of good behavioral patterns as you grow up.

We've piled a bunch on Jada and Aaron out of sheer necessity - Asher has been a handful and we're constantly tired and Amy has been achy for weeks - but I'll take a little credit for having in my head that it's the perfect time to ask the two older kids to step up around the house and with their baby bro.  Jada and Aaron are still, delightfully, just kids and not yet teenagers let alone fully independent adults; but they're not little kids anymore, and it makes sense for them to learn how to wash dishes and change diapers.

I am very proud of the two of them for doing their share of household chores and Asher care, all the while taking ownership of their extra-curricular activities and their growing school loads.  They are far from perfect - Amy and I still think both have room to do better at school if they just apply themselves, and both are prone to forgetfulness and sloppiness with their belongings - but on the right track.  Good to know the Harvard study suggests so too.