Recruiting Recycler
Each of the kids has certain chores that are their responsibility, and we rotate them annually. Right now one of Cora's jobs is taking out the recycling.
Tonight I looked out the window to discover, not for the first time, that she'd managed to rope a neighbor kid into helping her unload our recycling into the bin. It was a neighbor I barely knew, and I was both amused and embarrassed that now he stood at the end of the driveway handling our recyclables alongside Cora. I called her inside for a chat.
Me: You can't coerce your friends into doing your dirty work. Why is he out there unloading things into the bin? That's not his job, it's yours! Did you ask him to do that?
Cora: No, honest! He just started helping.
Me: Why in the world would he walk up and just start helping you with that job? You didn't say anything to him at all?
Cora: No!
Me: Then I'm not sure why he's doing it. You can't keep asking your friends to help you with your job. It's not OK. It's your responsibility, and there's no reason why they should have to do your work.
Cora: But, Mom, you don't understand! Henry had climbed into the bottom of the recycling bin and he was helping me bury him. He wanted to help.
I'll be honest. I'm not sure I know where to take the conversation from here...
Tonight I looked out the window to discover, not for the first time, that she'd managed to rope a neighbor kid into helping her unload our recycling into the bin. It was a neighbor I barely knew, and I was both amused and embarrassed that now he stood at the end of the driveway handling our recyclables alongside Cora. I called her inside for a chat.
Me: You can't coerce your friends into doing your dirty work. Why is he out there unloading things into the bin? That's not his job, it's yours! Did you ask him to do that?
Cora: No, honest! He just started helping.
Me: Why in the world would he walk up and just start helping you with that job? You didn't say anything to him at all?
Cora: No!
Me: Then I'm not sure why he's doing it. You can't keep asking your friends to help you with your job. It's not OK. It's your responsibility, and there's no reason why they should have to do your work.
Cora: But, Mom, you don't understand! Henry had climbed into the bottom of the recycling bin and he was helping me bury him. He wanted to help.
I'll be honest. I'm not sure I know where to take the conversation from here...
