The other day Julia and Holly got into a fight while they were supposed to be cleaning up their room and getting ready for bed. The ending result was Julia was told to do the dishes.
The pile was intimidating. We'd had fried eggplant for dinner. The dishwasher had to be emptied before it could be filled with plates from dinner, so the counters were covered.
Julia cried. I can't do that! I'm only 9! I don't know how to do that! (repeat)
I told her I would lead her through it. She could do it. I'd show her.
She finally did. She stomped and sloshed, cried and complained, but she did it. And when she was done, she'd done it well.
Funny thing is, when there were just 3 pots left to wash, she let out that she and Grandma Sarah wash dishes together. She knew exactly how to do all of it.
And she's only 9.
I told her I knew she could. I told her she'd done a great job. I told her some kids do that as a chore everyday. I told her (hope I wasn't lying) that Daddy and Aunt Robin used to do that every night - or maybe every morning as they waited for the bus.
Now for the secret part - I had fun. Even though she threw a fit for most of it, I really liked spending the time in the kitchen cleaning up with her. (maybe it was nicer because she was doing all the cleaning and I was just directing where to put stuff)
I think I'd like to do that more often - the dishes together - not the fit.
1 comment:
That seems like a good time to bond. Or maybe that's just me as a mom, talking.
Post a Comment