Friday, November 20, 2009

Love the nagger

When we remind our children to tidy their rooms, we are accused of nagging. When we remind the other family members to bring their own plates to the sink, we are said to be nagging. The list goes on and on. I say that nagging is a misused word because an occasional loving reminder invariably appears as a bothersome nag to the other person. That "nagger" is a loving parent who quietly does all the housework while the others sit around waiting to be served. Very rarely do you find a household where everyone chips in for the chores out of a sense of shared responsibility. Sharing chores is only something you might find in a scouts camp or while visiting another person's home.

Back to the nagger... just observe the person doing all the chores at home. Occasionally, he or she feels that it would be good if everyone chips in to do his part. That is love in action, isn't it? But no, as soon as a suggestion is made, everyone says "you like to nag", without sparing a thought for the parent or the spouse who does all the work. I say love the nagger; your nagger is not your servant but somebody who loves you and cares for you and deserves your respect.

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