I’ve got our girls washing dishes and hanging laundry. This has left me bored enough that I find myself looking for work to do.

While She Who Must Be Obeyed is away at her job a few days a week sorting clothes for Laura Ashley and other companies, our oldest is suddenly without a club and has been spending time at home “doing homework” and “studying”. (Translation: Arguing with daddy about the appropriate amount of time that should be allocated to using her tablet and the internet.)

Because of this, I’ve taken the opportunity to teach the girls how to do stuff around the house. My technique involves merely telling them to do things. For example, I say “Youngest wash the dishes.” or “Oldest hang the laundry.” and then deal with short question and answer period that follows the instructions (Why? Because. End of Q and A.) I then field technical and procedural questions and, on occasion, demonstrate how to do something.

The problem is that leaves me with little to do which takes away any excuses I have not to do things I’ve been meaning to do. This is a variation of the issue I’ve talked about before. This time, though, I’ve found useful distractions that are worth spending time doing but then given them away to other people to do.

With those distractions gone I now find myself looking for other things to do. Yeah, I could write more and start a small side business that’s been nagging at me for a couple years but that would require a mental leap to get past fear and denial. (I’ve planned the latter a few times but always manage to distract myself.)

It’s easier to find something else to do. Our kitchen knives are nice and sharp now. But they need some cleaning and straightening. I’ll take care of that tomorrow. I may even check the knives we don’t use much. They probably need some work, too.

The girls will keep doing housework, though. It’s for their own good, even if it leaves me kind of bored.