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"Don't you quit. You keep walking, you keep trying, there is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon. Some come late. Some don't come until heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be alright in the end. Trust God and believe in Good Things to Come." --Jeffrey R. Holland
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This is a quote I read recently in the book ʺTeaching Children Responsibilityʺ by Linda and Richard Eyre
ʺPraise every incident of honesty, of politeness, of sharing, of good decision making. Make the praise direct and clear. Look the child in the eyes and tell him how proud you are of that action. Then take the compliment beyond that one incident by telling him that he is that kind of person (ʺyou are a very honest boy...you remember to say thank you so much better than you did last yearʺ and so forth.) If there is one simple and profoundly important truth about children, it is that they live up to their reputations. They will do what they think is expected of them.ʺ
ʺPraise every incident of honesty, of politeness, of sharing, of good decision making. Make the praise direct and clear. Look the child in the eyes and tell him how proud you are of that action. Then take the compliment beyond that one incident by telling him that he is that kind of person (ʺyou are a very honest boy...you remember to say thank you so much better than you did last yearʺ and so forth.) If there is one simple and profoundly important truth about children, it is that they live up to their reputations. They will do what they think is expected of them.ʺ
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ʺDon't put it down; put it away.ʺ I read that in a book a while ago, and just having that simple phrase going through my head helps me keep my house so much cleaner and eliminates me doing a job twice. When I come in from the car, rather than just setting everything inside the door, I try to walk over to the cupboard to put it away. When cooking, rather than set something back down on the counter, I try to put it in the trash or back in the cupboard. When I am done with a dish, I try to put it straight in the dishwasher rather than set it on the counter or in the sink. When I look at a paper, I try to decide right there what I need to do with it, do it, and put it either in the trash or in the place to store it. Anyway, that little phrase has changed my habits so much and BONUS, I don't have to look at the mess in between setting it down once and picking it back up again!!
Also: Random fun idea for a young child: Mix about 1/4 to 1/2 c of cornstarch with a few tablespoons of water in a bowl, and let them play with their hands in it. It provides quite a bit of entertainment...especially for those kids who just have to TOUCH everything! :)
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My secret probably isn't much of a secret to more experienced mothers, but for the past couple of months I've had my 17-month-old son help me with chores. He was always interested in what I was doing, and for a while I thought he was too young to work, but I had the realization that he can learn to work at this age, too. It has required more patience on my part because his ʺhelpingʺ makes the housework go slower, but I like to think that it's helping him learn chores, appreciate the value of work (eventually), understand that he's required to help with the household, and it helps me feel like we're doing things together instead of me ignoring him while I try to get things done. I give him ultra-simple tasks, like putting a fork/spoon in the dishwasher, closing the dishwasher or dryer door when I'm done loading, pressing the start button on the washing machine, taking clothes off the drying rack and bringing them to me to fold, etc. It's not a whole lot, but I'm hoping it gets us into the habit of working together and sharing responsibilities. At the very least, it has made completing some of the necessary evils more enjoyable for both of us.
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