How to Turn Reluctance Into Responsibility Teens and Chores
things need to get done — “Because I said so!” — it can help to pitch chores as ways your teens can help around the house. Talk about everything that needs to be done to contribute to a healthy, happy home. There’s grocery shopping, feeding the dog, doing the laundry, maintaining the ever- growing collection of succulents, you name it. This will give them more perspective into how much their parents currently take on. Then, break down which responsibilities they’ll be assigned to complete and how often you expect them to do each task. Good work deserves a reward.
No one loved doing household chores growing up, but chores are great for building character and work ethic. If we shirk our responsibilities, we inevitably turn into vegetables — couch potatoes. No doubt, convincing your teenagers of the value of hard work and the importance of doing their chores can be trying at times. Sure, many grumble about “kids these days” and how parenting used to be, but we should remember that child-rearing has come a long way since the old days. For example, when Aztec children refused to do their chores, their parents would hold them over smoking chilies, resulting in eye-watering, skin-irritating torment — basically the Mesoamerican equivalent of pepper spraying kids in the face. The further we can get from that standard of parenting, the better. So, here are two tips to help convince your teens to chip in around the house — no peppers needed. Frame it differently. Sometimes, all you need is a change in perspective. Rather than simply stating that
Chore money has always been a great incentive to encourage teens to do their part around the home. These days, there are even
apps, like BusyKid, that assign a monetary value to different chores around the house. This doesn’t mean you have to break the bank, but teaching your kids that hard work pays off can motivate them to accomplish more around the home.
One-Pot Brothy Beans With Herbs & Lemon
INGREDIENTS
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1 lb dried white beans
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1 tbsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
1/2 tsp chili flakes
2 shallots, quartered 1 stick celery, chopped 5 garlic cloves, minced 1 tbsp dried thyme
6–8 cups vegetable stock Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tbsp white miso 1–2 tbsp lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
1. Soak beans overnight in water with 1 tbsp of salt. Drain and set aside. 2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add onions, shallots, and celery. Brown all sides lightly, about 10 minutes. 3. Add garlic, thyme, oregano, paprika, and chili flakes. Stir and sauté about 1–2 minutes. 4. Add beans and 6 cups of stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 1 1/2 hours partially covered, adding more stock if needed. 5. In a measuring cup, combine miso and a cup of hot stock from the pot. Whisk to dissolve, then pour back into the pot. Test doneness, add lemon juice, then serve garnished with chopped parsley.
SPOTLIGHT
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