My pink garden gloves

First off, I have to say that this is a google weed, not one of mine.  I just had no desire to capture one of my own on camera.  Okay, now for my story.  I bought some cute garden gloves in the Target dollar section yesterday.  I was so excited to wear them that I went straight outside and weeded with my kids.  It was such a positive experience that I couldn't stop telling my husband what a great buy my gloves were.  Of course, he weeds bare-handed, and thinks I am silly.

Weeding has never been one of my strong points.  In fact, there are a lot of jobs that I do that I don't really like to do.  I remember when I was little, my mom would assign us to weed until we filled half a garbage bag, or completed a certain section of our large yard.  My brothers and I quickly figured out that if you didn't shake the dirt off your weeds, than it would fill your garbage bag faster.  I am sure my mother loved that!  I was the master at making excuses, and hiding when my parents called for me. I practically asked for Heavenly Father to send me children just like me. =)

When I think of weeding now, I always think of my mother-in-law.  She's a farmer's wife, and her children definitely know how to work.  She would tell scripture stories, or stories from her family history, while she weeded with her children.  Her older kids talk about those memories all the time.  It was a special time for them.   I have always thought that that was a very creative way to teach kids, and help them enjoy work. 

One lesson that I have learned as a mother is that it is faster to do the job yourself than to make your kids do it.  It is HARD to teach the principle of work.  And so, I have bribed myself.  I get to wear my super-cute, cheap, pink garden gloves, and my yard benefits, and hopefully my children will to... thank you, Target.