Household Roles – Be Careful What You Wish For

Does the dictator suit help with compliance? I doubt it.

We all have our household roles, or even life roles, if one wants to get cosmic. On the weekends my role is the Great Motivator, I’m the one who tells everyone to get up, eat breakfast, get dressed.

Part of this role is to prove to everybody that it really is time to go by getting myself ready and standing in a central location and repeatedly telling everyone at 30-second intervals that they need to get it together.

But sometimes I weary of this and try and let things coalesce organically. This past weekend I told everyone to get ready if they wanted to go on a bike ride. I said this a few times and then sat down at the computer.

About 20 minutes later I turned to my wife who was still in bed and asked if she had given up on the idea of leaving the house.

“Because you were writing a blog post,” she said, “I thought I didn’t have to get ready.”

I had to laugh, but inside I was crying. “You don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” I said.

“I want to go.”

“But why do you need so many reminders just to get out of bed?”

“That’s  just the way it is.”

I suppose it is. Last night I dreamed of a world where my family would magically dress, feed, and groom themselves then have to tell me to put on pants. In the clear light of day I realize this  was a nightmare – I would be devastated if my cranky organizing skills were no longer needed.

So perhaps the status quo isn’t so bad. And while you’re at it, put a sweater on as it’s chilly out there!