Structure was the easy part! Next we got to the food. Each son and I rushed through a short course in cooking the night before they were due to be chef for the day. And I struggled with the question of why I ever thought this plan would work in the first place. Each morning the Chef found a 3X5 card at his plate with the menu and helpful notes. If there were questions he had to get the answers then, or never. The card got posted on the hood of the stove. I never knew what I would find when I arrived home.

We soon discovered that one son was a natural at cooking. He loved biscuits, and he chose to make them at one of his meals. But he could not find the baking powder and used baking soda instead. The biscuits were slightly green in color and tasted like soap! He has never lived that one down. Another son chose Sunday noon to be Chef. I suspected he just wanted the privilege of slipping out of church to go home early. Maybe it was the pull of using power tools that were often needed on Sundays – electric knife and mixer. The last son to mention was somewhat lukewarm to the whole idea of cooking. He finally chose to help me cook and then did the complete cleanup. Groceries did not appear by magic. Every two weeks on Saturday one son and I went for groceries. Each of us had a list and there were races for speed and best bargains. It was great to have them carry in the bags and unpack what we had bought.

After those it-will-never-work months, the plan started to click. The chefs began to merit specific and appreciative praise and got it, not only from me, but others in the family. I believe they realized how much their contribution meant. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without their help. They got an allowance, but it was not connected in any way with their duties as chef. This plan worked for years. Then they began to get after school jobs as bus boys, waiters, and one as a short order cook. Has it carried over into adulthood? Two out of three still cook, and they all show evidence of being astute comparison shoppers. I remember the question someone asked me, "How in the world do you get these guys to do all this?" I was proud to answer, "It is not easy, but it is a combination of planning and organization, choice, expectation and appreciation."