The kids had apples & peanut butter for their snack. I left Sunshine, my 2 year old daughter, sitting at the table. This is what I found when I came back….
Either the gnomes were really getting into this whole simple is beautiful or Sunshine has really taken to this sense of order period. Not only were the apples neatly around the bowl of peanut butter but they were in a pattern. Here I had just dumped them but she saw chaos and needed to sort it out.
We now avoid the produce department because we can’t walk through without her needing to ‘Keen!’ (clean) and organize the fruit that has been mixed or placed in the wrong bin. I swear Krogers’ should put her on the payroll…
But, I have a question for you.
Is it better to provide opportunities for a child to organize and place things in their proper place or should you have it perfect from the get go?
Or, do a healthy bit from each?
I know that if there isn’t anything on the floor for her to sweep up she’ll walk around with the handbroom & dust pan sweeping invisible Ninja dust bunnies who are out doing reconnissance for their armies.
When Tyler was a baby I was so disturbed & worried about this stage (education has increased with age & reading). The child was ANAL about cleanliness, no messy hands (he carried a babywipe), everything had to be put back immediately, he couldn’t even handle a glass on the coffee table while we watched tv. He’d toddle it to the kitchen. I thought for sure he’d have a heartattack by the time he was 20 if he kept it up.
I see you cringing!! Please remember I was a first time mom and a complete moron. I can’t believe I actually DISCOURAGED him from cleaning! Someone should have smacked me right up the back of the head and demanded I stop being an idiot!
Even if you’re not aware of the stages of development what TWIT discourages anyone, much less their child from cleaning?!
I think that moment was my first parenting screw up. What bonehead parenting moments have you had?
I suggest you do both – keep your home orderly so your children will appreciate its beauty and they will learn how it’s done, at the same time, give them kits or stations that have things to sort and organize so they can do it for as long as they want. 🙂