Helpers...of the tiny variety.

Myles and Jillian love to help (at least for the time being).  As long as it is on their terms, any task that helps mom is somehow fun, exciting, and rewarding.  Wish laundry and sweeping seemed that fun to me, but I’m happy to have the help, even when it takes longer to get things done.  I need to enjoy it now, right?  As they get older, I’m sure it will be harder to get them to help.  I doubt at 16 Myles will offer to organize the shoes in my closet like he did the other day.

This week, my handy helpers enjoyed doing laundry.  Here is a picture.  (Disregard my beautiful laundry room.  After a year in our house, we have not made it to remodeling this room yet.  It is a priority for me though.  If you have to do laundry, it might as well be in a cute room, right?  Maybe this summer.  For now, it's the kitchen.)  Myles got creative with a step ladder.  He could actually reach the clothes!  Jillian was the “pusher.”  They both love this job of pushing clothes into the dryer.  We must not forget the “runners”.   These are those tiny feet that run the clothes to my bed to fold…one by one.  This can keep them busy the entire time I fold a load.  It is so fun to see the pride in their smiles when they are done helping and I thank them.  A true sense of accomplishment…over doing laundry.  Somehow, that feeling has faded over the years and loads for me.  Nice to see it in them though!

Baking is always a top helper project.  Our family’s favorite…banana bread.  You can’t get any more fun out of baking than squishing those brown bananas, right?

I can tell you though, I think that having them help me has created somewhat of an understanding for what mom does for both kids.  Often, they thank me for dinner or other things that I do for them.   It definitely gives me a lift when trying to get through the list for the day.  Their help with the little things is encouraging too.  Myles always brings his plate from the table so I don’t have to go and get it.  I am still amazed that Jillian keeps her room so clean.  She wouldn’t have it any other way.  Maybe it’s just my imagination, but I have to think that having them help me will help them become wonderful housemates for someone else someday!  Although, it may not matter for Myles.  He tells me all the time that he and his wife will live in this house and I can take care of their kids too.  Can’t wait.

Hope you all have a great weekend!  Thanks for stopping by!

Gotta travel for work next week.  I’m sure I’ll post about it.  Leaving the kiddos (yes, you too Ben!) is already on my mind, days in advance…