“Train up a child in the way he should go, [and] Even when he grows older he will not abandon it” (Prov 22:6).

Little things in life can make a big difference. When my days were busy with littles, I grew discouraged with the whining, grumbling, and foot-dragging when I asked a child to do something for me. Finally, I thought to actually teach them how to respond to a request from me when enlisting their help.

First, I called them all together. “I realized today that I was expecting you to know what I expected of you without telling you how to do it. So, when I ask you to do a chore, this is how to respond: ‘Sure, Mom. I’d be happy to.’” Then we had a practice session. The two, four, and six-year-old then began repeating the phrase. Of course, the youngest thought this was great fun and immediately repeated the phrase with the happy tone of voice that I had modeled for them. The words were a bit unclear, but they were understandable. I asked her what she ought to do after responding that way, but she wasn’t quite sure. I asked the six-year-old if he knew what should happen next. It was clear he didn’t want to answer, but he reluctantly told his younger sister that she should then actually do the chore. Well, that made her happy, too. She was finally being included in “big kid” activities.

Well, the four-year-old was then more than happy to put his older brother to shame. He jumped in with, “Is this it, Mom? “Sure, Mom, I’d be happy to,” he said with a big smile. “Then I should get started on the job.” He glanced over to the older brother with a little smirk (noticeably different from the big smile he had given me).

“OK, your turn, Matt,” I said. I heard him speak the right words, just barely, but after I had him repeat it twice, it came out just fine.

“Now, you all just need to remember how to say it, so we won’t have to have this little lesson again. You are all off to a great start!”

And we didn’t need the full-blown lesson again, but I did have to give reminders on occasion, model the tone of voice, and have the kids repeat it until it was said with respect.

As other children came along, they also learned to use the phrase and to do their chores more pleasantly.

Well, last week I was sitting in my daughter’s kitchen, happy to be in the midst of so much life. All the kids were working on their weekly chores when I heard their mom ask one of them to do something extra, as in, not on their list. Suddenly, I heard loud and clear, “Sure, Mom, I’d be happy to.”

I smiled broadly as I watched my grandson switch gears and do what his mother had asked.  

Later on, I told my daughter how delightful it was to hear her own children use the phrase I had taught so long ago. “It has made a huge difference,” she replied. “I hadn’t realized how important it was to give them a way to consistently respond to me until it became clear that something needed to change. It really is perfect. And I had so much practice using it, that it just naturally seemed the way to go.”

An added blessing from that first lesson so long ago came when I was sitting down with the Lord shortly afterwards and trying to listen to him. The Lord gently suggested I use the same phrase when he asked something of me.

“Sure, Jesus, I’d be happy to,” I said with a smile. And the blessings from this practice have lasted for these many years.