A Project?

Are children a chesed project to their parents? Although parents do vast amounts of chesed for their children, they are still not viewed or referred to as a "project."  What is a project? I looked it up and found this definition: a planned piece of work that has a specific purpose (such as to find information or to make something new) and that usually requires a lot of time.  More simply, it's a planned undertaking.

Raising children is certainly a project, by that definition.  It's a job, the details are planned, there is a purpose, i.e. to raise a G-d fearing mentch, and it sure does take a lot of time.  It is usually a collaborative effort on the part of parents and the school.  And still, we don't refer to child rearing as a project.  Why is that?

I think it's because in business and science, a project is defined as a collaborative enterprise.  A school project might be a book report or historical research.  Projects are often or usually associated with work, school or volunteering. 

 

I suppose that is why I am surprised when people use the term "project" for taking care of an elderly family member, even those who do so lovingly.  Any thoughts about this?