Mama Monday Disclaimer: I am nowhere near an expert mom. I am on a mama journey just like all of you are. However, I'm more than willing to share my experience with you guys. If today's topic is something that you have an experience with then I hope you'll share too...either on your own blog (be sure to leave us a link) or in the comments section.
Okay, daily chores. Here's the thing, I refuse to do housework when my kiddos are napping. Especially now that there's two of them and there's a business to run naptime is absolutely sacred. I decided early on that I could easily still spend time with them when they were awake while still getting all the things that needed to be done, done. (does a comma go there? who knows.) So here are some hints for how it works in our house...
1.
cleaning. Now that Sarah is at an age where she can really help with some of the cleaning I've finally made the switch to safer, healthier cleaning products. For now I'm making my own but if anyone is interested in safe alternatives that aren't homemade check out
Shaklee products. My friend Janelle just started selling them and she's super-excited about them. SO. Back to the original point. Now that Sarah is old enough and our cleaning supplies are safe enough she
loves helping me wipe off the spray on the kitchen counters, living room furniture, windows, etc. It may take a few extra paper towels this way but it keeps her occupied and teaches her a lifelong skill. I'm all about that.
2.
cooking. A few months back Sarah was obsessed with helping me make dinner every night. She wanted to "put eeeeverything in" as I mixed, chopped, and sauteed. Her interest has waned a bit now that she's realized that onions will occasionally burn your eyes. She won't set foot anywhere near the kitchen if she thinks onions are being prepared. If it's onion-less though she's still all about it. There are lots and lots of things little ones can do in the kitchen as you're preparing meals, just be sure that you've taught them some safety basics first. Some of ours include, "don't touch the cutting board while mommy is cutting", "don't ever reach on top of the oven", "always wash your hands first", and "always ask if something is hot before touching". I've found that the best use for her little helping hands is washing vegetables and dumping cut veggies or other ingredients into pans or bowls. She'll often just sit right on the counter but more often than not she's standing next to me on the
best stepstool ever made.3. laundry. Sarah has been helping fold the laundry since she was a baby baby. There must be something about the flash of colors, the clean smell, and the warm fluffiness that makes every baby happy. Ephraim loves it too. Often I'll dump the laundry on them and then fold from there. They have fun playing in it and Sarah enjoys finding her things. Starting when she was around 18 months I started asking her to put some of her clothes in her drawers. I'd give her a little stack and tell her where to put it. I'm not super-anal about how the drawers look for the kiddos as long as things are in the right place so it always worked out. Fairly often now she'll find her own stacks and put them away herself.
4. diapers. Because washing diapers, folding diapers, and making wipes is an activity that occurs around here every few days they're very into it. Sarah has always loved gathering the wipes and helping me fold them into the box. Pouring the soap solution is now her new favorite thing. She's pretty good at it too!
5. grocery shopping. If I truly has my choice I'd probably do this on my own but I don't want to waste weekend family time shopping so I take the kiddos with me. It's definitely a hassle but I think it's a vocabulary goldmine for little ones. I know the other shoppers think I'm crazy talking to my babies about every little thing that goes into the cart but the kids love it and so do I. Sarah can identify pretty much everything in the produce section and tell you if we need it or not. The more they're engaged in the shopping experience the better behaved they are too. That's a plus. Oh, and on shopping day (Thursday) Sarah always helps me make the grocery list and pick what's for dinner that night.
6. yardwork. Brent is pretty much a genius in this area when it comes to getting Sarah active in the outdoor work. Just today as we walked to the car she told me that yesterday she helped daddy cut the roses. Her favorite activity is to gather up the weeds from the sidewalk as we're pulling them up...she tosses them in her shopping cart and pretends she's doing the grocery shopping. When she's done all the weeds are gathered and we just dump them into the trash. Perfect!
Okay, that's all I can think of for now. I can't wait to get some ideas from you guys. I always walk away from Mama Mondays so inspired!
Buddy Posters:
Kristin - awesome chore charts for older kids
