Stories from the Stringam Family Ranches of Southern Alberta

From the 50s and 60s to today . . .



Sunday, January 27, 2013

Starting Them Early


I was washing the dishes.
A fairly mundane, and totally necessary occupation when the house is filled with small children.
Our two-year-old (herein after known as TYO) came into the kitchen.
“Oh!” she said, hurrying over to me. “Dishes!” She started pulling up the sleeves on her dress.
I was just loading the last of the dishes into the washer. “Sorry, Sweetie,” I said, “ I've just finished.”
There were a couple of lids that still needed to go in, so I handed them to her and directed placement.
Then she turned and trotted out.
Thinking she was finished helping, I started to put water into the sink to clean the bigger things that didn't quite fit into the washer.
Suddenly TYO was back.
She had gone down the hall to the bathroom and retrieved the small stool we keep there to facilitate smaller statures reaching the sink.
This, she set in front of the sink and climbed upon.
“Okay,” she said.
I smiled at her. “Are you ready to wash the dishes?”
She nodded.
“Okay!” I handed her the cloth and she swished happily away over the pots and pans.
She looked so . . . intent and grown up.
The last things in the sink, the egg cups, proved a bit distracting. These were fun to simply play with.
So I let her, while I wiped off table and cupboards.
Soon, we were done and TYO stepped down, picked up her stool and carted it back to the bathroom.
I will admit, here, that she was a trifle damp – both on her rolled-up sleeves and the front of her little dress.
And her cleaning style was lacking somewhat in effectiveness.
But she was enthusiastic.
And determined.
And very, very happy.
Someone is being taught very, very well.
It’s a wonderful thing.


22 comments:

  1. I love that joy that small children bring to chores;)

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  2. Start 'em young I always say....the sooner they start the sooner you can quit.

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  3. How much do you want to bet that Grandma has had a little influence on the kids' makeup?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmmm . . . never even thought about that! I'm just Gramma.

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  4. If the moms and dads can just get through the stage of its-quicker-to-do-it-myself, and harness that enthusiasm, it quickly turns to a real help. You reminded me of our son who started making his bed, on his own, not very well, but not very badly either, at just under age 3, and has done it ever since :) Wonderful post and pictures!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's so, so true! What a good, good boy your have! Thank you for sharing!

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  5. Where there is love, so goes the world. A.J.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Diane, thanks for your comment on Carole's Chatter. You mentioned you were following but you are not showing up in my GFC list - has Google fluffed it or are you following another way?? Cheers

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sure it's my mistake . . . I'll go back and fix it! I'm so challenged computer-ally.

      Delete
  7. That is one "Don't bother us, we're busy" look on her little face.

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  8. Adorable! Love the pictures to document the moment in time.

    My grandma always told us to whistle while we worked. Looks like someone else is very happy to work with grandma.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh, my girly-girl! he taken to it much better than my oldest ever did!

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  10. Oh that brings back memories! My own TYO helping with the dishes, beginning with "drying" the plasticware, graduating to washing the unbreakables, later teaching the younger brother to dry the plasticware for her...I loved those early days. They learned to cook too, with each of them being able to cook a full meal including dessert by the age of twelve.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That makes my day, River! Thank you! Wonderful memories!

      Delete
  11. I would give ANYTHING to have my little ones roll up their sleeves for dishes but I think they know I am too anal about them. lol I am so very much enjoying reading the stories on your blog, I am a new follower from NOBH and look forward to reading more. :)

    http://ashoenation.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was the same. :)
      Thank you for visiting. I do hope you return!
      Visiting back!

      Delete

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