Some people may say I’m lazy, and some people would be right about that. I’ve always been this way, which is great for my blood pressure and my temperament, but also makes me disorganized and chronically late. My laid-back approach to life is now my approach to parenting, and I gotta tell you, it’s actually generating some pretty spectacular results. My kids are now 8 and 10, and can cook, clean, and do laundry because turns out I can be highly motivated when it comes to teaching others to do things for me.

My kids don’t cook, clean, or do laundry well, of course. They are young, and still a work in progress, but what I lack in housekeeping skills, I make up for in patience, because I know raising kids is a long game. I want my children to be self-sufficient so they’ll be successful, marry well, give me cute grandkids, and take me on trips.

To achieve this, we must start small.

Notice I said they CAN do laundry, not that they do it willingly. I can’t blame them, though. Who likes putting their clothes away?

Manners are important, too.

Sometimes they spend a REALLY long time “cleaning.”

Teaching kids to be self-sufficient isn’t without its pitfalls. My kids shed many a tear over another well-meaning mom getting their juice box ready.

And the first year or so of my kids scrambling eggs ruined more than one frying pan.

Sloppy folds and messy dresser drawers aren’t the only downside to kids doing laundry.

But knowing chores are waiting inside can buy me so much quiet time.

Still, though, I am tasked with most of the housework, and the rest of my family spends their time messing up my hard work with all of their stuff.

Despite all of this, teaching my kids to do chores and take care of some of their own needs has been absolutely worth it.

Read more about how I am attempting to elevate my kids by lowering my expectations in the newest installment of our New York Times Bestselling I Just Want to Pee Alone series, But Did You Die?

But Did You Die? is a collection of terrible (but also kind of good) parenting advice from some of the funniest moms and dads on the internet, and that one super helpful childless friend who loves to tell us we’re parenting wrong. We set the bar low so you can feel better about your parenting skills. Buy it. Read it. Laugh your tail off.