Joey and the lesson of responsibility

This is Joey. NOT mowing the yard. Ain't he cute?

My eldest son was supposed to mow the lawn this week. I reminded him several times. It absolutely must be done today. So, after rolling is sorry butt out of bed (with a little help from his father who, I must say, was NOT pleased at the news that the mowing was not already done) the poor, abused boy went out to mow. Now, they've already broken the riding mower this summer, so they have to use the push mower. We have 2: a HUGE DR self propelledBrush mower and a small 21 inch push mower from Walmart.

First the boy comes in and says it' s too wet to mow. He'll have to wait. I tell him to clean and dry the blades and spray them with cooking spray. Then he comes in with a bottle of 10W-30 and asks if this is the right oil (Now, he has already DESTROYED the riding mower, because he didn't check the oil BEFORE he began mowing, so this question is somewhat un-nerving). Now he comes in and says he has left a message on his dad's cell phone, but the band on the DR has broken and he thinks we need another one. He then says he'll wait til dad calls back to see what he wants to do.... Momma don't think so!!! I sent him back to work with orders to use the small mower and not to stop til the lawn is mowed.

We have preached the "Do it now attitude" to these children since birth. Someday, I hope they get it. In the mean time there will be boys who have to mow 2 acres with a small push mower in wet grass and 85 degree heat, because they always had something better to do then there chores.