Challenge Accepted

These were the words uttered by the teenaged boy when asked if he could please rinse off his plate and utensils after using them.

A plate, knife and fork.

I don't care how great your imagination is ... that's not a "challenge".

Doing dishes for a family of 5 every single day ... sometimes twice in the same day ... that's a challenge. For the record, we once let them go for an entire weekend to see if the kids got the hint that we could use some help with washing them ... I never knew that a can opener and an ice cream scoop could be used in lieu of a knife and fork when the clean ones are gone ... and that (in a pinch) cake pans make for really good cereal bowls.

Mowing the 8 foot tall weeds out in the chicken yard ... so we can actually see the chickens ... that's a challenge.

Washing, drying, and folding 47 loads of laundry on a weekly basis ... that's a challenge.

Taking the compost bucket out to the garden and dumping it ... without puking in the gooseberry bushes ... that's a challenge.

But washing your own plate, knife and fork?
And then, putting it away?
A Challenge?
Pfft.

Mind you ... this same boy asked why I didn't get out my Sharpie and start labeling the dishes and silverware with his and his siblings' names.
He wanted to make sure that no other person in the house used his dishes.
His because he washed them after using them.

I'm waiting for the day when he actually asks to be challenged around here ...
there are about a half dozen hens out in the chicken yard that can't see the henhouse for the weeds.