The Disappearing Five Year Old

Every night we have the same routine in our house after dinner. All the children know what to do and each one pitches in to help to get the kitchen cleaned up in a timely manner. Lately we have noticed that when everything is cleaned up the five year old is no where to be found. Everyone is busy cleaning and clearing that we seem to never notice this disappearing act until everything is finished. We seem to always find her in the bathroom doing her daily deed. I tell her how convenient that you always have to do this right after dinner. We have been trying to pay more attention and make sure she is doing what she is supposed to be doing but sometimes she is very sneaky and we don't even notice she is gone.

So the other night it was kitchen cleanup and we were almost finished when I said to everyone,"Where did number four go." We couldn't find her and one of the sisters said she was in the bathroom which is where she is most of the time. Well we were all wrong number five found her hiding in a little ball under the table where no one could see her. Well things are being done differently now. No one does any of their chores until number four is visible and accounted for. We will see how this works.