Success Sunday (PostID 1276)
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“If we do it all together, we can both be first.”
–The Elder (10/1/2008)
The kids were helping clean up last Wednesday after dinner. Somehow I got them to believe it was some sort of game. I would give them an object (that didn’t belong in the kitchen) and ask “Where does this belong?” One of them would snatch it run through the house to put it away. They would actually whine if they weren’t the one to put it away!
“Hey I want to do it!”
“That was MY job!”
So I started giving out 2 objects at a time so they could both have something. So then it was a foot race.
“I’m first.”*They are learning ordinal numbers in kindergarten right now.
“I’m first.”
“No, you’re second because that’s after first.”*
This happened a couple of times before one time I heard them down the hall and this is what The Elder said to his brother. I couldn’t have been prouder! And cleaning the kitchen? Success! All it needed was a little teamwork!
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For the rest of the story…
When The Younger went to get the Shark to vacuum the kitchen rug**recall that The Younger loves to clean, I loaded The Elder down with multiple items that belonged in the play room.
“Let’s see how much you can carry at one time.”
“I can put it in this hand.”
“And this?”
“That doesn’t go in the play room, that goes downstairs.”
“Oh well then we will wait on that one. What else goes into the playroom.”
…
“Can you handle all of that?”
“Sure!”
*I noticed later when I went by the playroom, all of the things he had were on the floor just inside the doorway. Well, I did just say, ‘Put these in the playroom.’ Gotta love him being so literal! lolHis hands, mouth, underarms, and pockets were full of toys and dvds and the cord for his L-Max to plug into the TV. I was afraid that we going to drop something so I followed him and he stopped in the laundry room to say “hey, The Younger, look how much I have?”*
When he came back, politely asked “The Younger, can I do the vacuuming now?”
WHO ARE THESE CHILDREN???
I tried again today with less success. Figures…
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What a great plan! Of course it only works with it’s their idea, Mom, didn’t you know that.
I am taking a meme break for a little bit, just a bit worn out from it all.
I love it! I only wish my kids would think that way, if only once.