Wacky Wednesday - Check your Child Labor Laws at the door

If you are a parent, you know how much it takes to keep kids entertained all day long.  I know for me, Alyssa wants to either be eating, watching TV, or jumping on me.  If she isn't doing one of the 3, then you know something is going on that shouldn't be.  Usually if she is playing nicely, it means that she is coloring on everything but paper, pulling wipes out, bathing in some sort of house hold soap, or the list goes on.  A quiet house isn't always a good thing.


I work full time.  I work from home, but still punch the clock, and have a scheduled time like a normal job, I just have a home office.  Chris works full time, and his job usually requires him to put in 10-11 hour days.  At the end of the day, I am exhausted.  I often find myself amongst piles of laundry, dirty dishes in the sink, needing to fix dinner, cleaning, playing with Alyssa, having time for my husband, one of the tons of projects I have going on, and then maybe squeezing an ounce of me-time in.  I hate the fact that I can't just clone myself.  But, alas, there is a solution for all of that!

If I have learned anything about kids, it's that they love helping out. (Young kids, that is.... you can forget about it when they hit about 10!)  I have found with my daughter, that if you let her help out, she is way more likely to want to help than she is to watch TV, or even pull her toys out. And why encourage them to get out of your way, to watch Barney, when they can be spending time with you, learning a life skill and lessening the load at the same time?  She is only 2 1/2, but there are some things that she can do. 

I let her help empty the dishwasher.  She will stand up on the counter while I hand her a plate, or bowl, or whatever, and she will put it in the proper spot. She also loves helping to clean them in the sink, and wipe the counters down.

She will take the laundry out of the dryer onto the bed (in 20 trips of course) and she will also move the laundry from the washer to the dryer. I must add that we have front loaders, which helps a lot. She likes to fold, but doesn't understand how yet. But there is no reason that she can't learn. We give her a small pile to fold, and who really cares if it's perfect?

I let her use a wipe, and she will wipe her dolls, and other toys.

She likes to "act" like she's dusting, so I give her a rag with a small amount of Pledge on it, and she goes to town.

She sweeps the floors.

She loves to help cook.  I can hardly ever get into the kitchen without her bringing in her little chair.  I let her spread butter or peanut butter and jelly.  She can stir, and of course with my help, I do let her pour pancakes and stir things on the stove.



Stirring Scalloped Potatoes / Pouring Pancakes  / Making PB&J

Of course, time spent with her is so precious.  When she turns 18, and she goes off to college, I'm not going to be thinking about the times that the sink was full of dishes, or if the laundry was piled up.  I won't be thinking of the blue lines in the carpet that now has to be replaced.  I will be thinking of the times that I got on the floor with her, or holding her close in my arms.  I will be thinking of all of the kisses, and laughing and I love yous.  I will think of her wanting to be Baby Bop, while I'm Barney, and dancing to "I Love You" on her heart rug.  She's the best kid ever!

TaTa for now,
Emily