Help for growing families: training time
It’s Tuesday, so I have to think of something I wish I had known back when I was surrounded by nothing but The Little People.
Something encouraging, that is. I won’t mention the fact that I can’t even sort the clean laundry now because I can’t keep track of what belongs to whom. At least my kids can.
So here’s my tip: let the little ones help. I know it’s not really helpful, but they want to. I know you’re already tired and you barely have time to do the job yourself, but this is part of mothering. If you don’t have time to make cookies together, then fold laundry together. Vacuum together. Wash dishes together. Do your best to make it a joy so they will:
- want to help you,
- keep wanting to help you, and
- have warm fuzzy memories of helping you so they’ll enjoy keeping their own house someday.
This time together can be just as precious as camping out on the couch with a pile of picture books. Working together and training your children will also pay off when you ask your older ones to teach a younger one a new job: you will see much of your own training technique reflected in the way your children interact (ouch).
By all means delegate, but be sure not to delegate all of the younger ones’ training to older sibs. It’s easy to fall into this, but you don’t want to miss out on this precious time with the second wave of Little People.
This is not something I’ve done consistently or well, but it’s something I strive to do. And I’m thankful to find, day by day, when I peel my bee-hind out of the computer chair, that it’s never too late to start.
Want more help from Been There, Done That moms? Visit Ship Full O’ Pirates to see who else is playing along this week.
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Filed under: big family
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Good ideas, but make the cookies. You can squeeze it in by making cookies for supper one night. That’s a memory they’ll cherish.
Dear Kim,
I’m sorry that this is a totally off-topic comment- leave it to a busy mom to do that!
I have done a quick search of your pregnancy archives, and can’t seem to find where you list your favorite pre-natal vitamins. I do remember reading about them, and how wonderful you think they are….could you point me to a post about them, or let me know their name? I am 13 weeks pregnant, and am looking for a vitamin boost!
Blessings,
Sarah E.
Mom to 7 and 1 on the way
Sarah,
They’re called Supermom, and they’re not cheap but worth every
pennydimedollar.Very good. I had to laugh when you said you can’t even sort the clean laundry because you don’t know who it belongs to. I have the same exact problem and that is why is truly is helpful to let the children help. Our 10 year old twins own our laundry room!!
I just want to second the Supermom vitamins. I love them, when preggo, nursing and even when not preggo or nursing (may-become-pregnant is the technical term, I believe, as my doctor always refers to me in one of those three catergories - HA!).
I really don’t think they are that expensive, compared to the amount of money I was spending on just generic, pointless stuff at the store that did me no good!
Just a little commercial here for SUPERMOM! Love that stuff (and some of their other items as well).
Lori (Momma to 4 + one on the way)
Thanks for this post Kim.
This is an area I have been working on lately. Our 2 year old loves to help and I found that I was saying no to his help far more than I was saying yes.
What a shame that my busyness was keeping me from precious time with him and fun training opportunities. It’s never too late to start!