it's hard, but you have to do it anyway

This morning number one got a lesson in what having work ethic means.

At the first of the school year, she signed up to be a car-line helper in the mornings for one semester. This entails getting to school a little early, putting her books in her homeroom and going out in front of the school to help students unload from their car as their parents drop them off. All told, it takes anywhere from 10-15 minutes - tops. We understood that she could not do it for the first 2 weeks of the semester because she had previously committed to another responsibility (quiz bowl team practice) most of the days of the school week.
Quiz bowl practice is over as far as she is concerned and this week we made her begin her responsibilities for morning car line. She is a shy person, so it has been a little unnerving for her, but I have been very supportive and acknowledged what she is going through as well as handing out praise for doing it anyway.
HOWEVER, this morning things got u-g-l-y! It is cold and rainy and she started first thing saying she didn't want to do it due to the weather. I patiently told her that I know it would be cold and wet, but that she would warm up and dry out and she'd feel good about having done the responsibility she was supposed to do.
"Doing what is right is almost never easy," I told her, "It is always much easier to do the wrong thing."
Her complaints kept getting louder and more peevish. We prayed aloud at breakfast and I asked that the Lord would help her do what she needed to do. Just before she left for school she was actually crying and screaming, "I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS" over and over and over and over, like someone from an asylum - all the way to the car (my father-in-law took them to school today). I told her that I loved her and that I hoped she would have a good day and that I would be calling the school to make sure she had done what she was supposed to do. Then I closed the door, and immediately started praying that God would help guide her, give her strength, and if needed, that He would get another adult to intervene which will make her understand how important it is to have a work ethic.
King has been out of town since Sunday, so he wasn't here to back me. I had this "show" all to myself. I have to be honest, my knees were weak, practically knocking. I didn't want to have to stand up to her and calmly, yet firmly (without anger and screaming) tell her she will be doing this. I wanted to be in bed. I wanted to run away and not face it, but I knew I had to stand my ground. This was non-negotiable - not only for her, but for me. God has blessed me with five incredible children. I cannot shirk my responsibilities especially in matters of moral formation. I, too, have to do the right thing, no matter what the "weather" is.