We assumed our 15-year-old son was kidding when he said he wouldn’t perform another duty without pay. After he wrote out a ‘contract’ and brought us an invoice for garbage removal, we recognized he was serious and decided he needed to understand how the real world worked. Tyler sighed as he pushed his supper plate aside.
“I’m so sick of meatloaf,” he muttered. “Can’t you make anything else?”
Angered, his mother Denise glanced up from her dish. Tyler, we had roast chicken yesterday, burgers the day before, and salmon Friday.
You had variety.”
“Yeah, whatever,” Tyler said, leaving the table. “Tyler,” Denise replied, attempting to relax. “Please wash your plate in the dishwasher.”
Tyler turned and smirked in the doorway.
His voice was full with youthful attitude: “Why should I?” “I’m not your servant.”
Denise’s lips fell. “Servant? Are you serious now?
Does housework make you a servant? “You don’t pay me?” Tyler responded smugly. Unpaid work is slavery.
