TOD 04.02.08

My children are always trying to help me do things. Spencer loves to help with the dishes, which means that I set aside all the silverware for him to rinse before it goes in the dishwasher. Doing it this way takes more time and uses more water, but he really enjoys being part of the process.

Ethan likes to help unload the dishwasher after everything’s clean. He does this by grabbing a plate or a bowl or a cup and waddling it over to me as fast as he can. Normally, I would say that this also doesn’t actually help very much, but it does. Precisely because I’m so concerned that he’ll drop something on the floor, I try to make it so he handles as few items as possible. I do this by racing to unload as much of it myself while he’s shuttling items to me. Thus in the end not only does he wind up helping me, but I do it in about two thirds the time because I’m trying to work so quickly.

Efficiency is never the main value in parenting, but occasionally it’s a fringe benefit…very occasionally.