filed in the category of things you never thought you'd hear your kids say.
No -- I want to scrub it more! Mom!! Andy only let me scrub the toilet 5 times! [Part of an actual disagreement between the boys over who would scrub the toilet.]
I don't have any pictures (not even Andy would agree to be photographed scrubbing a toilet!), but wanted to record this moment as my answer to all those folks who say "Kids need to be made to do chores -- they'll never want to clean on their own."
It started when Andy came to the living room and said his toilet needed to be cleaned. I mumbled something like 'mm hmm, later.' Then he jumps up and says "where's the toilet brush?" I tell him where to find it in my bathroom, and go back to watching my TV show. Next thing I hear is the boys fighting over who will get to scrub the toilet more times. I call out 'We have two toilets -- I'm sure the other one could stand a cleaning, too!" and head to the bathroom to sort out the argument. After some negotiation -- who knew cleaning toilets was so desirable? -- we all agree that Andy can clean the hall toilet and Dan will clean mine. Now they decide they need the right cleaner, so we find it under the sink and Dan watches while Andy scrubs the toilet within an inch of its life. When that's done, Dan drags me into my bathroom so I can watch him scrub my toilet.
Once it was all over -- and both the toilets sparkled! -- I said to Gary (who had been happily online all this time) "Can you believe it -- your progeny fighting for the right to clean a toilet?"
Now my answer to the chore question will be that yes, kids will 'learn' -- and even choose -- to clean without being forced to do chores.
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