Kids grow up so fast.

One day my son is two. The next day he eats cold pizza for breakfast, so apparently he’s now in college. [My husband was on breakfast duty that day.]

My husband was googling what to do when your paint cans won’t close securely, so I asked him, “How did we find things out before Google?” He said, “We talked to people. This is much better.”

I did a radio interview that lasted about 5 minutes. When I came out of my room, my husband said, “Whoa. That was quick.” I explained that the station had an explosion and lost power. He said, “What did you say that made the radio station explode?”

The interview, which will be rescheduled, was for this book. Here’s a snippet from the chapter, “Cleaning Up.”

Every child is different, of course, but here are some suggestions for age-appropriate chores to use and adapt as you see fit. Two- to four-year-olds can stack books, put toys away, toss laundry in the hamper, and weed whack the yard. Five- and six-year-olds can make their beds, clear some of the table, sweep under it, and regrout the tile floor. Six- and seven-year-olds can sort laundry, put theirs away, set the table, dust, and drive the family van to the car wash. Eight- and nine-year-olds can load and unload the dishwasher, put away groceries, scrub toilets, vacuum or mop the floor, and file your taxes. Older kids can do all this and more, like reshingle the roof and field dress a deer.

When my oldest started washing dishes I felt like my life truly began.

What are your favorite chores to assign your kids?