Today I did something I should have been doing consistently for just years now. I “let” Laylee help me clean the house. This was rare and precious both because I was actually cleaning the house and because I let Laylee be a part of it.
Usually I try to plan activities to keep her busy if the cleaning bug bites me but today she asked meekly, “Mom. Could I please help you scrub the kitchen floor?”
“Um. Sure.”
“Oh THANKS! Will you please save me some of the really sticky parts.”
The really sticky parts are vast and the grid pattern makes it easy to section off the floor into sticky chunks for easy division of labor. I got out a couple of rags so we could do the job Cinderella-style. When Laylee would get up to rinse her rag she would charge me forcefully with the task of saving her sticky squares so she could do them when she got back.
And she did… beautifully. She is a natural at slave labor and she begged for more. So I let her scrub the outside of the fridge and promised that she could scour something tomorrow. She asked me to never clean without her and I made a binding promise. (Future Laylee if you’re reading this, you now know you have no one to blame but yourself.)
In her prayer at bedtime, she thanked God for the chance she had to clean the floors with me and get all the crayon out of the grout. And pieces of my soul floated heavenward and were enveloped by the laughing moon.
Magoo is obsessed with all things Cars. When we arrived at Costco tonight, he saw the pizza stand and yelled, “FOOD! CA-CHOW!” and I loved him well, even though he doesn’t yet pray with fervent thanks for the opportunity to give me spa pedicures on demand. I’ll keep working on that. Maybe by the time he’s 4…
Were you wondering how much of a dork I am? I will tell you how much of a dork I am. At the park today I saw a woman reading the August issue of Parenting Magazine and I wrestled with myself about whether or not to approach her. Periodically they reprint small blurbs from my blog and I happened to know off the top of my head that there was a picture of Laylee’s fuzz-ball hair on page 32. What’s the point in being minimally famous if you can’t tell complete strangers that you are?
So as we pushed our kids on the swings, I nonchalantly said, “My daughter’s picture is in there on page 32.” And she gave me the best response ever.
“Oh!? Is she the hair?”
Yes! Laylee “the hair” Daring. It’s her new mafia name and I couldn’t be prouder.
actually, i considered myself a bit of a dork yesterday when i was reading my parenting magazine and saw the hair and said “oh, that’s laylee…” i don’t know why i think i’m cooler because i read you on your blog than people who read you in the magazine… but i do.
I will not be satisfied today until I go and look at page 32 myself! 🙂 At the store. Because I don’t subscribe yet.
Ca Chow- we hear that a lot these days too!
my son loves to help me with almost anything. i started getting him involved early and he is just a workhorse. one time when he was helping get snow off of one of our cars, i beckoned him inside. he told me, “no, i have to finish this job.” gotta love it.
I actually wore a bow in my hair while doing chores as a child, because that’s what Cinderella does in the Disney movie. I imagined little mice and birds helping me to sweep the floor and clean the windows. It’s amazing how we forget the fun parts of the daily grind. I’m sure with an imaginative girl like Laylee, chores will never be boring again!
PS- “Future Laylee if you’re reading this, you know you have no one to blame but youirself.” —Love that!!! 😀
Sigh. So many things I love about this post. I don’t know where to begin.
So sweet! Enjoy the willingness now. It fades over time. Then it becomes a chore just to get them to do the chores!!
I love it when my kids WANT to scrub things! Take advantage of it now… it quickly dissolves into “BUT MOM!!” (you gotta say that with a super whiny voice, or it just doesn’t work)
My daughter’s picture is on a certain package of store brand diapers and I have a hard time resisting whenever I am in that store too. Not as hard of time as my father who has been known to hold up packages and exclaim to all in ear shot that “this is his granddaughter!”
I too saw the “hair” a la laylee and knew right off the bat who it was talking about. After all the cute blogs I have read about her and your fun family, I felt like i knew her. Let us know if they put anymore fun pictures of you guys in there.
Oh, I am soooo putting Emma to work today.
I’ll tell her to send the hate mail Laylee’s way. =P
My youngest always wanted to scrub the inside of the toilet! Not so much now–but too bad. Love the “is she the hair?”!
The Hair? Is it the picture of her on the trampolie? I absolutely love that picture. Gosh, it makes me wish I had a subscription to Parents.
Do you rent out the Hair? I have lots of sticky spots that could use a little elbow grease.
About 5 minutes ago I caught BabyGirl cleaning the bathroom sink with hand soap & a Q-tip. But when I tell her to pick up her room you’d think I was asking her to donate a kidney without the aid of anestesia.
Kids…
Holy Cow! You are the best mom ever. I just barely got the mail (which included parenting mag.) before visiting your blog so of course I turned right to page 32. What’s the secret? I’ll need it for my baby girls hair in the future, when it finally starts growing.
I was all excited to go see her fuzzy hair- but I have a subscription to parents- not parenting!
I actually discovered your blog through American Baby- aren’t they owned by parents or parenting?
What a fulfilling day! Cleaning and Mommying together. I am impressed with your inspiration to allow her to “share” the work. Love the “hair” story, too.
For my daughter’s fourth birthday last week I gave her: a real mop, child size, 2 microfiber dusting mitts, and a toilet scrubber.
She was thrilled, and my 4 and 5 year olds argue over who’s turn it is to be Cinderella. I’ve gotta admit, I felt a bit guilty giving her the presents, but she’s loving them!
I have found that their ability to complete the task efficiently is inversely proportional to their desire to undertake it.
Yes, make use of the voluntary labour bit while you can. My son is 6 and volunteered to vacuum his room the other day and then cleaned the bathroom sink without me asking him first. I know it won’t last so I’m making hte most of it.
some how my kids helping me clean always turns into a bigger mess. Maybe Ive been picking the wrong tasks. Tomorrow we shall try group mopping
My boys love vacuuming, and we’ve had to implement sharing rules so that both can have time cleaning the floors. I recently bought a feather duster so one can dust while the other vacuums. This is a very, very good perk of being home with chidlren! 🙂