The longer we parent, the more convinced I am that chore-time is essential to our family dynamic and each of our personal growth–or it can be. If you choose to be intentional about it. If you choose what is best instead of what is good. Homesteading just seems to bring God right into our…well…yard.

We have a few kid-sized garden tools that make it really fun and easy for them to help.

We all do chores here at The Lowe Farm. All. Day. Long. Especially in the spring and fall. And laundry and dishes have never been my favorite part of the day! But I’m learning to love chore-time because chore-time is family-time. Chore-time is learning time. Chore-time is character-shaping time. Chore-time is come-alongside-me-and-talk-about-life-purpose time. Chore-time is see-what-I-don’t-understand time. Chore-time is teach-me-to-understand-Biblical-truth time. Chore-time is show-me-how-to-shine-my-light time.

Our gardening skills and adventures are constantly evolving.

When they are finally tucked into bed, sometimes I mentally review how they’ve spent their day and part of me thinks–Wow, they didn’t watch any TV today, they didn’t do any art projects today, they didn’t play any sports today, they didn’t go to any clubs today, they didn’t have any computer time today, they didn’t play dress up today, they didn’t build legos today, they didn’t play on a swing set fort today…and they had a good day and went to bed tired and happy!

And sometimes I review the day and think–Wow, they didn’t have a good day, we must have made them worked too hard.

You know what the difference is, usually?

Me! {Well, me and Mr. Fix-It.}

I always recommend just starting with 2-4 things until you get the hang of it. It can get overwhelming fast!

The difference is, did we make it special family-time? Did we make it “team-building” time? Did we make it about serving the Lord and shining our light? Did we make it about stewardship and gratefulness? Did we use our moments together to talk about deep truths, amazing science, or creative expression? Did we laugh and praise and enjoy each other?

Or did we make it all about work, work, work, and use our words to grumble, complain, demand, and correct?

And only grow things you eat the first few years. Or ever. (Why grow things you don’t eat?)

We try hard to be intentional about our time together, and lately we’ve been talking about wasting food around here a lot lately.

We’ve been talking about stewardship and how stewardship is about being grateful. We talk about how waste is not stewardship and is basically being un-grateful for the abundance we’ve been blessed with. And we’ve been talking about how a grateful heart shines the light of God.

And we’ve been talking about how Speedracer needs to eat his broccoli.

And relax! Be forgiving! What’s worse–kids that always hate gardening–or a few trambled plants?

And the Cowboy said “The chickens will eat it. It’s not wasted.”

And then Speedracer followed up with “I’m sharing with the chickens. God wants us to share too.”

And the Ladybug said, “The chickens have chicken food.”

And the Cowboy said, “They eat garden food too.”

And the Ladybug said, “Broccoli is people food.”

And Speedracer said “My teacher told me that God wants us to share with everyone.”

And the Cowboy said, “Daddy put broccoli in the chicken bowl, I saw him!”

And the Ladybug said, “That was left overs. That was–”

And I said, “Who wants fruit snacks?!”

Do you have gardening or homestead plans for the weekend?