I gave Lij the challenge of getting the dirty laundry bag from his bathroom upstairs and bringing it downstairs while I filled the washing machine with the boys’ downstairs laundry. I called up to him to see how he was doing only to hear a plaintive “Me dan’t do dis! (I can’t do this)” from the boys’ bathroom. Lij had discovered he was too short to retrieve the bag himself. He waited patiently for me to climb the stairs so I could help him “help” me.
On the way down the stairs, Dylan refused to climb down even one step until he “helped” hold the laundry bag. This presented a tripping hazard to him and it took me twice as long to come down the stairs, but the smile on his face when I asked him if he was helping to carry the laundry downstairs was worth it.
It’s true: I could definitely get things done faster without the assistance of my little helpers. But I think it’s important to them to feel a part of things. And I’m pretty sure it’s teaching valuable lessons for the future at the same time.
They probably figure the help they give me is like the help Lij asks me to give while he builds with his blocks. We were playing on the floor yesterday and he asked me to “hep wif dis dease (help with this please).” Much to my dismay, every block I placed on the structure was in the “wrong” place. I soon resorted to handing him several blocks and letting him choose which block and where to place it. The “help” he needed from me was just for me to be there.
And I suppose, in the long run, that’s a pretty important thing to all of us.
4 comments:
I totally agree with you on letting them "help" even though it makes more work for you. If you reject their help now, do you really think they'll be willing to help when you finally think they're worthy to do it.
that's very true, I know me helping my mom cook was not really a help, but it created a lot of great memories, and taught teamwork.
I think your little helpers are so cute! It amazes me the pleasure these little ones get from feeling helpful. I also liked your analogy of your helping Lij with the blocks. I think you hit on a truth about people of all ages.
You are one smart mommy! I know so many young mothers who don't want to bother with letting kids help .... I would never dare say to them, but am thinking it, "When they're old enough to be good at it they won't know how and they won't want to" Good for you...you're raising husbands for someones daughters....husbands that will help!!
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