Frankie and I discovered a great little pumpkin project to do together on The Long Thread. (Well, I discovered the project - she isn't blog surfing yet) She met it with great enthusiasm so we started it today. I thought we'd have finished project photos but Charlie woke up from his nap so a simple hour project has turned into a next day project. A perfect lesson in patient parenting.
Often I have to catch myself in the "hurry up, I'll just do it myself" mantra that parents often find themselves in. A parents life can be so busy with so many expectations, deadlines and pressures that often, slowing things down to a child's pace can be a challenge - and often a forgotten learning process.
Whether it's chores around the house or grocery shopping or even a walk to run some errands, it's easy to "hurry up" or just "do it yourself". But every time I stop and catch myself and allow my kids the space to join in and participate - the benefits are so rewarding. They learn something new, how something works, or simply build the confidence to do things for themselves, or to share in the task together.
Of course picking the fabric for the pumpkins was fun for us both. But getting down to business was another thing. The ironing that would've taken ME two miutes took US close to twenty - but she was so proud of herself for smoothing out and preparing the fabric herself! We didn't get much further than that before Charlie woke up, but she is so excited to begin again tomorrow. Nap time for Charlie is our best crafty time together. Pics to come soon!
Charlie got a great taste of big kid stuff today too. He expressed great interest in the washing of the lunch dishes today, in that unreachable small tub Mommy always seems to have her hands in. I put him on a chair, spread about ten dishtowels on the floor and let him go for it. He. Was. Stoked. After a few big water dumps on the floor, I let go of the MommyAngst and got stoked too.
Let's just say the three dishes he did were very clean, and the floor got a good mopping too.
