Chores

 Our Life Group at church did a parenting unit in which we read and discussed multiple articles about parenting and child-rearing.  One of the articles stressed the importance of expecting your children to help around the house, even though it will take more time (because they will be slow) and more energy (because you will have to redo it once they are done).  I have started taking this notion to heart and having Charlie help me with two things in particular - laundry and unloading the silverware from the dishwasher.

I'm assuming this will eventually wear off, but currently, Charlie loves to help Mommy.  When I asked him if he wanted to put the silverware away, he dropped the car he was playing with and said, "Ooo, yes."  I pulled the silverware tray out of the drawer and put it on the floor and gave him the basket from the dishwasher.  Three minutes later, it looked like this:

Adorable.

Laundry is the other thing he is helping with.  We have been going to each bedroom and taking all the dirty clothes out of the hamper and putting them in a basket.  We then take the basket downstairs and Charlie puts them in the washer, helps me transfer them to the dryer, and then helps me fill the basket with clean clothes to take upstairs.

It does take way longer, and I am definitely tempted at times to take over for the sake of time, but I have held myself in check.  Charlie is learning to follow instructions, perform tasks, and contribute to the household.  These are all important skills that will serve him well in the future.  I think our next task will be vacuuming.  He loves to help push the cart at the store - I'm sure he will love pushing the vacuum. :)