Recently I've been struggling with getting my dishes done. I have a dishwasher. I even have lots of children to help with our mountains of dirty dishes. But we also have a sweet little one year old that wants to help as well. Our dishwasher beeps every time it is opened and closed. When David hears the beep he crawls as fast as he possibly can, from wherever he is, toward the dishwasher. He is fascinated by the dishwasher. Once I've removed the clean sharp knives from the utensil rack I have no problem with him standing at the dishwasher "helping." He loves to play in the little bits of warm clean water clinging to the open door of the dishwasher. He loves to pull out plastic bowls and plates as fast as he can and fling them to the floor. It is a race between him and me. I pull the glassware out of the bottom rack as fast as I possibly can so that he cannot get his little hands on it. He laughs mischievously as he grabs a glass cup before I can get to it. When I turn my back to put something in the cupboard, he is climbing into the dishwasher. It is adorable!!!
But when it is time to load the dishwasher he wants to be there as well. I'm sure that the dirty forks and spoons from breakfast are loaded with "flavor" and those are what he goes after first thing. I find I am constantly looking for times of the day when he is busy with a brother or sister, or napping, so that I can finally load the dishwasher. I find myself saying to the other children, "Don't worry about loading your dishes right now. David is right there." Now that is something I never ever thought I would say to a child. Instead I find myself saying, "Please, just hold him back for two seconds so that I can get these dirty dishes in." Now, just to set the record straight…I am definitely not complaining, because I know that before another year is through, David will actually be capable of helping with the chore. I keep a bottom drawer in my kitchen strictly for children's plastic cups, bowls and plates. The first chore that my children learn to do is to put the clean plastic dishes from the dishwasher into this drawer. I welcome this stage with open arms. Little ones are absolutely delighted to be able to help in such a big kid way. I want to encourage it in every way possible.
Sophia is now 3 and can put away the plastics now. She also knows where to put the measuring cups and spoons, cutting boards, and large cooking utensils like wooden spoons and spatulas. If you were to look in my kitchen drawers you would either think that I am a terribly disorganized woman, or you would assume that my little children help in the kitchen. If you chose the second option you would be right. Occasionally my drawers get organized properly by myself or an older child, but usually they look like a 3 year old has helped. And I am proud of that fact! I want to instill in Sophie at this young age that her help is needed and appreciated in our family.
This quote from President David O McKay sums up what we should strive to teach our children regarding work.
"Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that power to work is a blessing, and that love of work is success." (Pathways to Happiness [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1957], p. 381)
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