I brought out another fabulous Berenstain Bear book the other night. Actually, Deacon picked it out and we were definitely in need of it. The Berenstain Bears and The Trouble With Chores. I previously posted that I was getting the kids back on track with doing their chores. Yes, they are still young but that doesn’t mean I can’t find things for them to do. After all I am the parent and it’s my job to teach them responsibility. I’ve noticed the boys slacking in their chores lately. I’ll come home to shoes on the floor instead of where they belong, clothes on the bedroom floor instead of the hamper, snack bowls in the living room. I’m sick of it. They’re getting lazy.

There is Mama Bear. Now Mama Bear is someone I can completely relate with. I feel Mama Bear’s pain, especially in this book. I like to read this one REALLY loud to the kids just so my husband can hear it from the next room. You see, Mama Bear has a dilemma, the kids and Papa bear don’t seem to be doing their chores regularly. They seem to all have excuses not to do them. I like how Mama Bear puts it, “When it comes to chores – sometimes, occasionally, and once in a while don’t count.” So Mama Bear did exactly what THIS Mama does, she started doing ALL of the chores herself. Which leads to a cranky and tired Mama. Then Mama decides not to do ANY chores just to see how long it takes for the mess to build up before someone does something about it.

Logan hates the part with the thousand legged bug comes swimming in the tub towards sister. Maybe a little fear will get him to do his chores regularly. Deacon always comments “what is that green stuff on the shower curtain?” They all panick when Baby Honey almost eats a bug. So now when the kids leave their snack bowls or popsicle sticks around I ask them, “Hey do you want bugs crawling around the house!?” They react to that one pretty quickly. So for you tired Mamas and Papas out there, this is a great one to remind the kids that chores need to be done daily to help the family, not just occasionally.