“Helping mom” … look out, those are dangerous words

For some reason, I was remembering a conversation from several years ago today.

I was in the kitchen washing the dishes and one of my sons walks in and says: “How come you’re helping mom with the dishes?”

Now, I’m not the smartest guy on the block, but I thought that a teaching moment was staring me in the face.

So, this is for all dads and kids out there:

Doing things around the house that don’t have to do with the garbage, opening a jar or turning a wrench … well, those other things aren’t “mom’s job.”

When you share a home, everyone should be responsible for helping with its upkeep.

When you have kids, their chores may be dependent on how old they are. For example, a  2-year-old won’t typically be expected to mow the lawn or run the dishwasher.

But, everyone can help.

So, there are really two lessons here.

1)   Everyone could and should help out. It keeps harmony and is, frankly, fair.

2)   Watch what you say. Maybe you’re not “helping mom.” Maybe you’re just doing your fair share.

• An editor by day, Scott Mayes is also dad to Matthew, Micah and Nathan. He’s a high school parent, a youth basketball dad and changes diapers. He’s readily admits that he prefers washing dishes over doing the laundry.