Letting Them Help

One of my shortcomings as a mom is in allowing and encouraging my kids to help around the house.

They have little chores they have to do regularly, like picking up their toys, making their beds, and putting their cups/plates away after meals.

But what they really love to do is help me with my chores and cooking.

I know how much they love to help.

I know how much they love it and how good it is for them to do it. So I have been really trying to make a point of creating opportunities for them to help and inviting them to do so.

Problem is, I tend to get caught up in just getting stuff done and done quickly. And when I get wrapped up in that I don’t invite the girls to help. I don’t pull out the kid-safe spreading knives I got for them and ask them to help me make their PB&Js; I hurry to make sandwiches so they don’t melt down from hunger. I don’t get out their special little brooms and sweep with them; I grab my super-powered cordless stick vac to get up the crumbs under the table.

I chase them with the super-powered vacuum, which they love.

But I think they love helping more.

So I’m making a point of trying to let them help more.

I got special squirt bottles for them filled with just water so they can help me clean the counters and floor. I try to think of ways they can help me with dinner ahead of time, so I don’t end up with not much for them to do when they offer, because all I have left to do involves non-kid-friendly stuff like using my sharp knife or working with raw meat or pan frying something in a hot pan.

I need to keep doing better with this. I love the looks on their faces and the pride in their voices when they help me with my work.

And though I always have plenty of chores and cooking to do, my most important job is teaching them. Teaching them to work hard. To value helping. To be self-sufficient. To feel good about themselves.

Helping me helps them with all of this and more.