What Is It About Kids!?

Yesterday, when my kids got home from school, I sat them down and we had a "talk".  I handed them each a chore sheet (the two older ones, my youngest would have drew me a picture on it) and explained their new chores to them.  I told them that it was required they keep their room clean in order to have privileges and that their other chores earned them allowance.  I explained they have to try hard to complete their chores in order for me to give them their allowance.  I also explained that if they lost privileges (such as dance class), then they'd have to pay me the money I was out for that week.  Fail proof, right?

Wrong.

It gets to be 8 o'clock at night and my oldest son has yet to touch his room...nor has he completed ANY of his chores.  I ask him, "Hey, have you done any of your chores?" and he had the nerve to reply, "yeah, the kitchen!"...OMGolly...he didn't touch the kitchen, I had cleaned the kitchen SPOTLESS yesterday before he even made it home from school.  So, then I say, "Listen, I know it's getting late, but you're gonna go clean your room.  I want at least half of the clothes put away; that is the minimum!".  I leave. 

20 minutes later he is in my room flopping around.  I said, "Is your room clean?" and the child replies, "I put 1/2 my clothes away."..................What!?  What?!  Half?  Half is good enough?  I don't think so!  So, I sent this child, this boy, this son of mine back to his room to clean...until he fell asleep, of course.

My daughter on the other hand, jumped right on her chores.  Not only did she complete one of them, she also nearly got her room clean, and she asked if I had stuff that she could "scrub the bathroom with" and that's not even on her list!

So, what is it?  Is it age?  I mean, they're only 17 months apart!  Is it sex?  Is the fact that my daughter is a girl automatically make her more willing to clean up after herself...and others!? 

However you go about it and whatever you believe, regardless, my kids both completed enough of their chores to go to dance today and lucky for them, but I really could have used the extra $20 in my pocket.