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July 30, 2008 7 Comments

If You Want Something Done, Give It to a 10-year-old Girl

oatmeal-cottage-pancake-4One time a speaker said that if you want to get something done, give it to a ten-year-old girl.

They’re enthusiastic, diligent, hard-working, determined, industrious, earnest…not yet consumed by the boy thing or makeup, yet able to tap into their childlike energy and accomplish a lot.

As my kids have one by one turned ten, I’ve thought how true that is.They’re willing to work hard. They’re creative. They enjoy the challenge.Just last night, our ten-year-old daughter announced that she would like a day when she can cook all three meals. From scratch. All by herself.

So we agreed. Right away.

Last night she set her alarm early in order to make pancake batter for her papa. He gets up before the rest of the household and heads off to work early.

She woke at the first few beeps of the alarm, headed downstairs, made a big batch of batter and flipped some pancakes for The Belgian Wonder, who gladly and gratefully gobbled them up for breakfast. She set aside the batter until the rest of us lazy bums rolled out of bed.

When we were assembled in the kitchen, she poured and flipped (and even added chocolate chips for her mama–strangely, the kids don’t like chocolate chips in their pancakes), and soon had a tall stack ready to devour.

Which we did.

flower-girl-1 wmAfter clean-up, she planned out lunch. Pizza bagels. We didn’t have bagels, so we were going to bike down to the grocery and pick some up. Then I showed her a recipe for pizza crust, and she used that instead. For lunch, then, we had personal pizzas.

For dinner, she was going to make Mexican food, but I had a ham that needed to be cooked. So she altered the menu. Tonight, with no help from adults, she’s going to make ham, corn-on-the-cob, macaroni-and-cheese, and cut up a watermelon.

She also helped me rearrange the table and chairs on the screened-in-porch, unloaded the dishwasher, cleaned the upstairs bathroom, and vacuumed her bedroom.

Do you have any projects that are weighing on you? Need some envelopes addressed, stuffed, licked and stamped? Have a junk drawer (or two, or three) to sort through? Need someone to pull weeds or color-code your clothes closet? Want someone to inventory your freezer or clean out your vegetable bin?

Find a ten-year-old girl and hire her for the afternoon.

Or she might just do it for free. Because, unlike most of us, ten-year-olds still see work as fun.

Filed Under: children, creativity, family, home, motherhood, parenting, simplicity Tagged With: delegation, household management, organization

Comments

  1. Nichole says

    July 30, 2008 at 7:17 pm

    Could you ship her to me for a few days? We’re moving, and I could use some help packing, etc. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Meredith says

    July 30, 2008 at 8:20 pm

    What a girl!

    I look forward to the days when my kids can help without needing so much help. Thanks for the reminder.

    Reply
  3. annkroeker says

    July 30, 2008 at 8:45 pm

    Nichole: A ten-year-old would be great at wrapping things and packing them, once you show her what you want done. Do you live in the Midwest? She’d love to earn some money…or, as I said, she might do it for free!

    Meredith: She’s got a lot more initiative than her mama. I hope it’s not long before you can get some much-needed help at your house. In the meantime, can you find a nice neighbor girl? A homeschool family who can hire out a mother’s helper? Make sure the help is *ten*!

    Reply
  4. Stretch Mark Mama says

    July 30, 2008 at 9:47 pm

    Oh boy oh boy! I have something to look forward to.

    “Everyone” told me I should have adopted a 10-year-old girl FIRST before birthing/adopting any other children. (For these very reasons.) All said in good humor, of course.

    Reply
  5. girlwithmoxy says

    July 30, 2008 at 11:23 pm

    Rock on mama. I know some of that is personality, but kudos to you for “letting” her do all that. Some moms are so controlling they wouldn’t allow their child that freedom. I have an 8 year old little man who mopped my kitchen floor today, and a 5 year old who washed all the mirrors. Love it Love it!

    Reply
  6. Kristin says

    July 31, 2008 at 6:46 am

    I would like to have half that energy right now. haha What a treat for your daughter & for the family. How fun.

    Have a great day!

    Kristin

    Reply
  7. Pam says

    July 31, 2008 at 9:48 pm

    When my daughter was 10, I had another baby. She had to be reminded that I was the mom, not her. She was a big help though.

    Reply

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