Friday musings.... As a very young boy I vividly remember my aunt ( lived in a joint family ) teaching my cousins and me to be responsible. So that meant that we made our beds & learnt to sweep and swab the house - there were no vacuum cleaners back then. At times we washed the rooms on summer afternoons and enjoyed the fun. I remember cleaning cobwebs with a broom attached to a long pole. The ceiling was high. We tidied the rooms , including the kitchen after meals . Oh yes , after a bath we washed the toilet and left it spotless. There were three of us and we competed to see who did the best cleaning . Yes we still had to study and complete our homework by ourselves . Walking to buy groceries or stuff like that was literally taken in my stride. Gardening took up time and we maintained a pretty decent flower garden without any outside help. A tip of 8 annas or 50 paise now and then was a big deal. We were taught to fry an egg, make an omelette , make toast , tea and coffee too. By observing and helping, we learnt to bake ! Stitching on buttons and putting up a hem were part of our training too. I believe children must be taught these things early on in life . It won't harm them in any way. I don't see this happening very often . Are you bringing them up to face the world head on ? Are you ashamed to tell your friends that your children help with the house work? Can they do for themselves? As a couple , you should ask yourselves these pertinent questions . Teach them now . You will never regret it. And do remember- it's not only girls who must be taught house work. Boys must learn as well.