(Love this! Originally posted in 2014, when my sons were 10, 14 and 16!)
Klimczak household, 7:30 am in a recent Thursday morning,
“Why do I have to make my bed?”, the 10 year-old grumbles. “It’s just going to get all swirled up again tonight.”
He’s right, of course. In my head, I say “I know, honey. I understand your frustration. I often rail inwardly at the seeming futility of housework – why do I need to clean the kitchen when we’re just going to mess it up again at dinner time?”
But this is not what I say out loud, of course. What I do say out loud is “because its time to make your bed. It’s what we do every morning. Then you need to put your dirties in the hamper so I can start a load of laundry”.
He sighs. I sigh. He is right, but so am I.
As a parent, I need to encourage and cultivate habits of self reliance and responsibility with my kids. On other mornings we have talked about why we clean our rooms and make our beds every day.
- Because it shows we have pride in our selves.
- Because it shows we care about our stuff.
- Because it’s nice to slide into smooth, crisp sheets at the end of the day.
- Because we never know who may stop by, and you don’t want to look like a slob.
- Because it’s what we do.
- Because it’s the right thing to do.
- Because it will give me one less things to nag you about later.
- Because I said so.
As a professional organizer, I tell him to make his bed because:
- It’s important it is to create good habits and routines.
- We all have chores to do every day. Some chores are for survival, some for maintenance and some for progress. And if we do the maintenance tasks regularly, the other ones are easier.
- Studies show how making your bed every morning helps you be more productive for the rest of the day.
- Productivity comes more easily to those people who can find motivation inside themselves instead of outside
But come on, let’s face it. He’s 10, and that’s a little heavy for 7:30 am on a Thursday.
So the parent comes back, checks on progress, helps the 10 year-old finish the job he started, makes the bed-making a game with lots of pillow tossing and giggles, and models the right behavior.
Only you and I know that we do these things not necessarily because we want to, but because we need cultivate good habits and self motivation, in ourselves and in our children.
Because some day when he and I are both older, I won’t be there to nag him every day.
Because even these little things matter.
So, friend, go make your bed.