Since having Wavy, some of my kids have been helping each other out more than they used to. Kind of out of necessity, kind of not.
Over the last week or so, Wavy has been crying for milk at the same time that I’m getting breakfast on the table for the others. So I’ve been getting the other four settled and then feeding Wavy a few steps away in the living room, just because its a bit more comfy for her and she eats better, and I’m still able to see everyone and be present. The kids do much of breakfast themselves, from getting their siblings vitamins, pouring a bit more cereal, etc. Lately, its ended up that Dekker has offered to feed Solly his yogurt.
Yes. We still feed Solly his yogurt. Could he do it himself? Sure. I admit that I don’t want the extra mess, so we help him eat the potentially super messy stuff. Don’t judge.
So Dekker has been feeding him his yogurt for a few days now, and he now really enjoys it! Dekker LOVES being responsible for someone or something. But as you’d expect, Laela has noticed that Dekker is enjoying it, and now she wants to do it! So yesterday, she fed Solly his yogurt. And she did a pretty great job, too!
Today, Rowan offered. Rowan insisted. And I couldn’t think of a reason why not to let him! I mean, I could, but I really dislike “You’re too little.” Like a LOT. So, I said he could go for it.
Yup. The three year old is feeding the two year old. How did it turn out?
He looks pumped to me!! Do you see it all squeezed between his fingers?? Lol! It was in his neck folds, too. But he was happy, and Rowan felt accomplished, so we’ll take it!
Helping each other out is such a important skill to learn. In my opinion, its something thats missing these days. Having kids help out with jobs, siblings, etc. teaches them not to be entitled or to think the world revolves around them. This doesn’t mean that in the next year, my kids will be making all of their own meals, doing their own laundry, cleaning the whole house, etc. But I do hope to nurture those life skills sooner than later, so they can help out from time to time, because they are part of this family, and they live here, and they should participate in the day to day.
To clarify, I am their mom. I am HAPPY to do these things for them, and I hope to always do lots of these things for them, as much as I can. I had these kids with the intention to care for them in ALL the ways, but I also see teaching them responsibility and life skills as an incredibly important part of my job as their mother. Why wait until they’re teenagers to start?
One of the stigmas with big families, I’ve found, is that people think we’re having all these kids and not doing any of the work. That we’re making our kids do everything for each other and inevitably will expect the older kids to raise the younger ones. That is simply not the case. Not in this house, anyway. I didn’t anticipate rabbit trailing into this topic, but there it is. We ALL do family differently, and that is GREAT. If your kids don’t do chores, I don’t judge that! If your kids do way more work in a day than ours do, I don’t judge that either! If you pay your kids to do household chores, I don’t judge that. If you pay them in high fives, I don’t judge that.
We ALL have our own way 🙂 Today, our way was covering our two year old in yogurt to make our three year old feel proud of himself. I wouldn’t change it!
Though I might not do that tomorrow…