In talking about this next storm on the way, Gary and I were remembering the Winter of 1969 in Chicago. My sister and I were shoveling off the snow on the porch roof (the flat roof on the house) - and somehow we tipped over the ladder. We threw snowballs at my Dad's den window, but he didn't notice.
But the snow was SO deep - we just jumped off the roof.
As we've run errands these past few weeks - we always see adults outside shoveling or operating the snow blower - and kids outside playing in the snow.
My brother, sister and I were responsible for ALL shoveling, lawn mowing, leaf raking, garden weeding... and we set the table for all meals, did all the clean up, and helped do all house cleaning. We were right there, helping to scrape the house and paint it, switched screens for storm windows - you name it, it was our "chore."
I was pretty sure my parents HAD kids so we'd do all the work around the house!
But I almost never see kids outside (around here) doing the mowing or raking or shoveling... and it got me wondering.
Was our family the anomaly?
As we've run errands these past few weeks - we always see adults outside shoveling or operating the snow blower - and kids outside playing in the snow.
My brother, sister and I were responsible for ALL shoveling, lawn mowing, leaf raking, garden weeding... and we set the table for all meals, did all the clean up, and helped do all house cleaning. We were right there, helping to scrape the house and paint it, switched screens for storm windows - you name it, it was our "chore."
I was pretty sure my parents HAD kids so we'd do all the work around the house!
But I almost never see kids outside (around here) doing the mowing or raking or shoveling... and it got me wondering.
Was our family the anomaly?