II. Read the text and complete it with the sentences from the box.

a) Before that happened, I tried all the usual methods. b) She's already old enough to help out. c) I'd sigh and say, «In a minute.» d) Isn't that what we all want?

My children are wonderful — smart and cute and generally delightful. However it took me years to work out how to encourage them to help with the household chores.
I wrote out lists of chores and let my children choose. I tried to make chores to be games. I showed my children what happened if nobody did chores. And yes, the chores got done and we lived in a clean and tidy house. But my children worked only because I asked them to do it. I knew there must be a better way, but for a long time, I was too busy and tired to discover it. Then one day I thought about how I reacted when my children asked me for help. «Can you help me with this please, mum?» one of them would say. Quite often that minute turned into hours.
One day I decided to try something new. «Can you help me with this please, mum?» asked Charlotte. «Of course I can,» I replied, putting down my own work immediately. I remembered to smile at the same time. It wasn't easy at first. But it's a pleasure doing things for those we love. Regularly throughout the day, Gemma-Rose comes to me and asks, «Can I do anything for you, mum?» She makes me a cup of coffee. She arranges some flowers in a vase and places them in my bedroom. «We like helping you, mum.» Children who like to help? And I have discovered I like to help them, too, especially when it's not expected.

III. Read the text of ex. II and answer the questions. 1. How long did it take the mother to work out how to encourage children to help with the household chores?