My Very Own Tom Sawyer

Lately my kids just haven't wanted to do anything around the house. Oh, they're happy to help the neighbours without even being asked, but if I so much as ask them to lift a finger, they freak out. You'd think I was asking them to smash boulders with the chain gang.

Braden especially has been trying to sweet talk his way around me. Sometimes I fall for it because, unlike his siblings, he asks nicely, and the charmer gets his way before I realise what he's done.

Today I was ready for him! When he came in from school, I said, "Right. You've got chores to do: take this to the post office for me, then get started painting that fence". He was shocked, but he did it.

Well, almost.

The next thing I knew, he'd convinced Malorie, Ricky and Jack that he had the been given the most fun chore ever created. Soon, the other three had paint brushes. But Braden didn't get out of having to paint.

Good thing I've ready Mark Twain.