Creative Parenting To Get The Job Done

Yesterday when we got home from school, everyone knew that they had to focus on getting their chores and homework done.  With company coming after supper and a guitar lesson to get to, we had no time for fun and games.  Or so I thought.

My five-year-old daughter is easily overwhelmed when she is given too many tasks to do all at once.  She was complaining about all the jobs she had to do before supper time.  I said to her, “Why don’t you pretend to be Cinderella?  Tell yourself you have to quickly get all your chores done so that you can go to the ball.”

That sounded good to her but she wanted me to be the Wicked Stepmother.  In my best “movie” voice, I called, “Cinder-ell-a!”

“Yes, Step-mother,” she replied.

“Put away all your clean clothes and pick up these toys!”

“Yes, Step-mother,” I heard her say meekly.

She got right to work without another complaint.  My other two kids wanted in on the “fun,” so we soon had a “Cinder,” an “Ella,” and the Prince.  They all wanted me to give them orders in my meanest, sharpest step-mother voice.  Normally I work hard to stay patient and gently make requests to keep them on track and focused.  Now, the more bossy and demanding I was, the happier they were.

The kids had a great time with our new game.  I was just happy the house got clean.

It just goes to show that, with parenting, some ideas are so crazy they just might work.

Photo by Raymond Brown