chores and stuff

Well, summer has officially started...  Seemed like school got out late this year, the very end of June!  I was thinking about my kids, what we will do this summer, how it's all going to play out.  The one thing that I don't want is chaos. 

Me+chaos does not = happiness.

So I don't want to be all crazy, and make all sorts of lists (I love lists), but I do want to have some semblance of a structure.  I think that it's just as good for the kids as it is for me.  I also like feeling that nothing is etched in stone, we can change it up and go with the flow, but if we at least have some type of plan, things will go smoothly.

So I decided that every night after the kids go to bed, I am going to write a few chores for them that they have to do before they go outside and play the next day.  Nothing extravagant, like Brooke's chores for yesterday were: Make bed, put away clean clothes, water indoor plants.  That's not a big deal during summer vacation, right?

I am a firm believer of chores and responsibilities around the house. UNPAID  (gasp!) chores and responsibilities around the house. I really, really, really think that everyone should pitch in, and do it well and do it right the first time.  And if everyone can get them done without complaining I consider it a victory.

I honestly believe that giving our kids chores and tasks help them in their lives, helps shape and mold them into responsible, helpful and hardworking adults.  I mean, if Alex goes off to college, and doesn't know how to throw in a load of laundry, or gets invited to a (future) girlfriend's house for dinner and doesn't clear his own plate, I feel like I have failed some way in his upbringing.  Sure, I could put away Brooke's clothes and her drawers would look nicer, I could make her bed and it would probably be perfect (oooh I do love a perfectly made bed), but if I did that, if I did everything, the kids would feel less of a part of our family, they would feel more entitled to having other people do things for them, and in turn would not learn how it feels to be proud of an accomplishment or completing a task.  I think part of my job as a mom is teaching these guys how to make it in the world, and yes, that means chores and responsibilities.  Because we all have them, don't we?

And also, I hate feeling like the maid.

So what do all of you guys do?  Do I sound like a mean old Mom who could possibly be ruining the fun of vacation by having my kids do a few regular chores?