Any time I think of the chores that need done around my own household, my mind wanders back to a time when I was young, had no true responsibilities or jobs, and only had to do a few chores a week for my parents. Sometimes I get caught up in wishing that was my life again because of the freedom and lack of care in the world. But then I realize I wouldn’t truly have the “freedom” I now have to do anything I’d like whenever I like.

Still, it’s a point in my life worth missing with how little I had to do. School was easy. My home life was great. And I had a lot of free time to do whatever I wanted. I sometimes wish I still could explore my options in my free time now, but things are a little more rigid when you’re an adult.

Chores, though, gave me character. And there were a few in particular that I think instilled a sense of ownership and responsibility in me more than other chores ever could have. Those chores? Well, read on.

Picking up the house.

This was likely the most common chore I carried out and one that the house needed the most on a daily basis. I got pretty good about carrying a few cardboard boxes around the house with me to pick up loose items and clothes. This helped me to save trips walking from one room to the other putting things in their rightful places. Of course, if you wanted to use something else besides cardboard boxes, plastic totes would suffice. We just didn’t happen to have any.

Mowing.

What better way to give a teen responsibility than trusting them to run power equipment? Obviously this is something that I was taught to be extra careful with, even if it was a riding mower. We never had hills on our property, so it was as safe as could be when mowing. Still, it sort of made me feel more like an adult every time I cut the lawn.

Washing dishes.

Working as a dishwasher when I was 16 kind of ruined doing dishes at home as a chore when I was younger, if only because I felt like my life was consumed with dishes. So, I learned the art of compromise and would often trade my brother chores in order to get out of washing dishes. That typically meant I would end up sweeping the house, but if it meant not doing dishes, I was all for it.