Thank You, Mother

Mother often left lists to instruct my sister and I to do certain duties at home. These jobs were varied, so we never knew what was coming for the day until we got home from school. The chores were things she instructed us beforehand to do, so we were able to accomplish them without her immediate supervision. Setting the table for dinner, starting dinner by peeling potatoes and taking clothes off the clothes line were among our daily tasks. My sister and I did not receive any allowance. Mother thought that since we lived in the house, we could also clean it too. Thank you mother for instilling in me the fact that not everything I do involves money.

I learned many things from my mother that I have needed throughout my adult life. Perhaps there would not have been any other way to learn these methods that she tirelessly repeated instructions for, until I got it down pat. I am thankful for my mother's patience in teaching me many things.

When Saturday came the three of us would clean the house with my mother's instructions. This Saturday was going to be a little different for us all. Mother decided to up the anty a little to spur my sister and I to get things done with a little more zeal. We accepted the idea almost before it was completely out of my mother's mouth. The idea behind this Saturday's work was attached with a .05 cent per job incentive. All we had to do was select a job that we normally did on Saturday, complete it and then keep track of it to be paid five cents. Thank you mother for teaching me the value of money.

My sister and I vigorously proceeded to go about choosing our tasks passing each other many times and smiling. I was 8 years old and my sister was 9 at the time of this event. Most of the morning was nearly over when I approached my mother that I had finished many jobs. My sister saw I had stopped and joined me for collection of money too. I began stating my jobs and my mother tallied the pay of $1. My sister followed with her list of things that she accomplished. My sister dusted down the stairs and I stated I dusted up the stairs. My mother paid us both for that job. Thank you mother for your sense of humor and your generousity.