Put your Baby to work.

    Having kids help out around the house has been something that has been done for generations. I am not sure how it is done in your house but in our house everyone is expected to pull their own weight. When I say everyone, I am also including my 16 month old son, Payton. 

    I believe that your baby from the day they are born can help you. Their snuggles and cuteness in the beginning, then the smiles and laughter come soon after, to make your day brighter. Make sure you thank them and let them know it makes  you happy. As time ticks on each new thing they help you with, even if it is not perfect, let them know you appreciate the help. I think the time you put in with your child early on will create good helping habits and a good work ethic later on in life . So, let your toddler help you sweep and or put away the plastic dishes, yes it takes longer to get done but it is worth it in the long run. Swear!

    Here are some ideas to keep your little one busy with helpful things to do, feel free to comment your own ideas: 

    All of my children help with the laundry, but with Payton, I hand the wet laundry to him and he puts it in the drier, then he gets to shut the drier door and push the start button.

    Payton also likes to push the start button on the dishwasher after he closes and locks it. 

    All of my children, once they started walking became my personal trash-thrower-away-er. This could be anything from a dirty diaper to gum wrapper. Tip: Keep an eye out for things you might want, that they think needs to be thrown away. 

    Delivery services are good for kids who are walking around, too. “Go, give this to Daddy.” “That’s Alabama’s can you go give it to her?” 80% of the time they did it correctly. I have found that asking for him to retrieve things as well works a good chunk of time. “Can you get Daddy’s shoes?” 

    I have my son also close doors for me, this includes cabinets that be shouldn’t be in. “Please, close the door.” 

    Before I take my son out of his high chair, most times, I will have him help me clean it. I try to get him to pick up the food that he dropped on the floor and have him throw it away as well. 

    When he takes things out I do my best to have him put it away. This takes persistence but I find that it is worth it because in the end it does get put away. 

    My son loves to get a damp white sponge to wash the walls. There are always hand-prints that need to be removed. 

    It is pain and it would be quicker to just do it yourself, and in this new age we are all running around busier then ever but I think it is in the top ten things you need to do with your kids to insure your future sanity as well as theirs. 

Happy Parenting to you! Love, Rebecca