While my house is still down with nasty colds and other ick-nesses, I thought I’d share a couple of posts from blogs I read that have been especially influential to me lately. I enjoy getting advice from other Mommy bloggers who have stellar ideas that gently remind us we need to push our children along the Growing Up Road. After all, we are hopefully raising adults, despite our Peter Pan wishes that they stay small forever.
First, M3 from “Do They Have Salsa In China?” wrote about a very happy evolution in her home: her 5 year old twins can now put away their own laundry, including hanging up their clothes. AY-CARAMBA! Tell me that doesn’t make you want to do a happy dance? It’s time, I thought to myself…yes…it may be painful at first, but it is time.
Then, I read on Rachel’s blog, “Hands Free Mama” about the freedom of letting go and allowing her children to do the dishes, which was a follow up to her post about letting them fold the laundry. The mornings seem so packed. It’s hard to let go and ask the girls to help me clear the plates and put them in the dishwasher, let alone stand Kelly on a chair and let her scrub dishes. But if you could have seen the look on her face when I asked her to help me wash those dishes…it was priceless. My grandmother used to say I learned how to mop floors at birth, and every time she walked into our house, I was sure to be mopping a floor or scrubbing grout. I think I’ve been cleaning my own bathroom since my elementary years. I know I’ve ironed my clothes since the 8th grade, and maybe even sooner. So really? Can my girls pick up their toys and help with dishes? Surely they can. Sara made her own bed, just to show me she could do it. Honestly…I don’t even make my own bed!
Now that I’m on the subject, what are other age-appropriate tasks for little girls? They are very good at putting away their socks and shoes, hanging up coats and backpacks, and sorting the laundry. But I’d hate to miss an opportunity to off-load some of my housework! Ideas anyone?
4 responses to “Sharing The Load”
Since the installation of wood flooring give them the swiffer and let them have fun..hit and miss is better than nothing:)
Ethan vacuums the floor (1/2 way good job, but we are working on it), feeds the pets, sorts the laundry colors for washing, puts his laundry away(most of it), and takes out recycling things that I set aside. he also helps put away groceries, which in turn helps him know where ingredients are when we are cooking together! 🙂
I think our introduction to folding laundry was having to match the clean socks. Then we graduated to folding the clean undergarments. 😉
Brayden has been vacuuming the living rooms every Friday for a little over a year now. He loves it! It is his way to contribute to our family. We give him a quarter each time. And we are teaching him how to manage his money by saving, spending or giving it to others. Since he started vacuuming he has asked to do many things. Sometimes he helps me dust and clean windows or sweep crumbs up from under his chair. He is responsible for cleaning up his plate, cup, etc from the table and sometimes even loading it into the dishwasher. Easy tasks that he can do – we let him try often. He loves being helpful!
Have fun with it!
Shayla