Monday night I was tired. I went in to "put John to bed." Right now, this requires laying on the floor next to his bed so he won't get up and wander around instead of falling asleep. Fortunately, it is allowable under this job description for me to fall asleep.
Jeremy had to leave for a meeting about 20 minutes after I laid down with John. He apparently got James and Maggie set up with a mop and bucket of water. When I awoke an hour later, I had a reasonably clean kitchen floor! I clearly need to think of more things to ask these great kids to do. It is so hard for me to remember that they are growing up so fast, and that includes growing in their abilities to help!
Ever since then, Maggie has been dropping hints... "Mom, if you have any chores to do, I will just do all of them for you." (SURE!)
James can also get motivated when interested in the outcome. Today he asked, "When can we plant a vegetable garden?" I of course told him we would wait a few weeks until the frosts were over. But I also implied that I wasn't sure I was up for a garden. He insisted he could do all the work. And he promptly set out to prove it. He and Maggie disappeared almost instantly, and when I looked up, they had the vegetable patch completely cleared of the overgrown weeds and the soil all turned over for planting.
Even John would like to get in on the act. When an unnoticed piece of cheese in the middle of the kitchen floor (HOW DID THAT EVER GET THERE? And just after the kids mopped!) attracted a pile of ants, there was John, ready to help. I found him down on his belly, squishing ants systematically and cheering.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Baby brains
Sometimes John scares me with his 23-month-old knowledge.
I brought in James's nearly-new soccer ball from the yard this evening. "This ball is falling apart!" I complained to Jeremy, as I noticed the stiching coming loose. I guess that's what we get from a cheap ball - a cheap lifetime. I left it by the door and went in the other room.
When I returned a few minutes later, John was very busy with the ball - and his toy drill. Lest I mistake this for coincidental, he looked up at me proudly and said, "Mama, ball!" Then he put the drill right on the bad spot and worked away at it.
It is good for me to be reminded (frequently) that he understands FAR more than I give him credit for. His lack of ability to speak long fluent sentences does not seem to impair his ability to understand them.
He also understands that drills are for fixing and other important work. A few months ago, after I had gotten frustrated with him trying to escape, I had locked the sliding door to our deck. He didn't whine or cry. He just went and got his drill and set to work on the lock, very patiently trying to remove the screws from the lock.
I brought in James's nearly-new soccer ball from the yard this evening. "This ball is falling apart!" I complained to Jeremy, as I noticed the stiching coming loose. I guess that's what we get from a cheap ball - a cheap lifetime. I left it by the door and went in the other room.
When I returned a few minutes later, John was very busy with the ball - and his toy drill. Lest I mistake this for coincidental, he looked up at me proudly and said, "Mama, ball!" Then he put the drill right on the bad spot and worked away at it.
It is good for me to be reminded (frequently) that he understands FAR more than I give him credit for. His lack of ability to speak long fluent sentences does not seem to impair his ability to understand them.
He also understands that drills are for fixing and other important work. A few months ago, after I had gotten frustrated with him trying to escape, I had locked the sliding door to our deck. He didn't whine or cry. He just went and got his drill and set to work on the lock, very patiently trying to remove the screws from the lock.
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