{milestones} becoming a little helper

Over the last several months Addison has shown an interest (putting it mildly) in daily household tasks like unloading the dishwasher, folding laundry, sweeping, etc.  Sometimes it's hard not to get frustrated as she pulls the neatly folded clothes out of the basket, balls them up & hands them to me with a giant smile as she says "help".  While it can be frustrating chasing her around the house with the tupperware she confiscated from the dishwasher, I find it incredibly sweet & endearing that at the fresh 1.5 years old she wants to help.

As parents we are often quick to say "no", take something away from our children & do it ourselves.  What an opportune time to teach our children how to be polite and helpful. It's the perfect time to celebrate our children & praise them for doing good, reinforcing that behavior.  "Yay, Addison! Great job helping mumma.", "Thank you Addison for putting that lid away".  Give them tasks they can accomplish: wiping their highchair tray, taking plastic out of the dishwasher, involve them in picking up toys, give them things to throw away. Involving them in simple tasks allows them to develop new skills and reach developmental milestones.  It doesn't get much sweeter than watching Addison's desire to please us. It's a powerful reminder that our children mimic what they see.