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View Full Version : What "chores" does your toddler do?



jojo2324
02-22-2004, 05:18 PM
Right now, Gannon has his mini broom, but that can become a whacking implement VERY quickly. I'll shorten the Swiffer, but same deal as the broom. If I'm folding laundry, I'll give him a receiving blanket or towel, and he can sit and fold that for quite some time! Also, he LOVES the dishwasher, but mainly wants to climb in it. Problem is, at any given moment, there are either clean or dirty dishes in there. I don't want him getting into either. I suppose I could wait to load dirty dishes and let him pile Tupperware in there. I just hate having dishes in the sink...

Any other ideas? TIA!

trumansmom
02-22-2004, 05:44 PM
We do let DS "help" us unload the dishwasher. He removes things and hands them to us and then we put them away. (It's very cute. He picks up something, hands it to DH or me and says, "Thank you, sweetie" every time!) Lately he has realized where a few things go (like spatulas, his spoons, etc.) and has started putting them away on his own. Our biggest lesson is to make sure we get to the dishwasher first and put away any knives. (Nothing more terrifying than seeing your 2 year old across the kitchen holding a butcher knife! Yikes!)

He also "helps" me load the washer and dryer. I hand him the dirty clothes and he lobs them into the washer. Or I hand him the wet things for the dryer. Helping me unload the dryer is a mixed bag. He hands things to me faster than I can fold them, but at the same time, he can climb in and get the last couple of socks in the back when my oh-so-pregnant belly gets in the way.

And of course, all this help mean things take 10 times as long to get done, but he really enjoys being a part of the household chores. If only he could "help" scrub toilets...

Jeanne
Mom to Truman 11/29/01 and EDD 4/23/04!

raynjen
02-22-2004, 08:38 PM
I know what you mean about the broom and swiffer. Noelle loves to use them when I sweep, but I sometimes have to put the pictures back on the wall afterwards. I WISH she would help me fold clothes, she usually takes the opportunity to climb on our bed and bounce (until I chase her off) or go in our closet and "hide" behind the clothes. I've tried to get her to "help" me dust, but apparently that isn't interesting enough for her. However, the toilet brush is evidently a big hit, probably because Mommy DOESN'T like her using it. Vacuming used to be a big hit until DH "chased" DD with the wand - now I can't vacum unless he is home to keep her safe from the "scary monster" (thanks honey)!

Jen in Okinawa
Mom to Noelle (10/25/01)

mamahill
02-22-2004, 10:07 PM
Argh - Ainsleigh's idea of folding clothes is to very daintily UNfold what I have folded. She doesn't like me to give her a towel and expect her to not touch anything else. She likes to sweep. When I'm doing laundry, I'll take stuff from the washer and drop it on the door of the dryer and she'll push it in. Also, when I'm cleaning (dusting, using a rag for whatever, cleaning windows/mirrors) I'll give her a paper towel and she "cleans." Her most recent help is to watch EVERYTHING I do in the kitchen from a stool she brings over. The only problem is that she doesn't understand why she can't stand next to the stove. That's a fun shuffle.

brubeck
02-23-2004, 02:42 PM
Well Andrew started his first 'chore' about a week ago. DH has breakfast and sometimes I am slow to put his placemat away. Andrew likes to now pick it up, walk over the to drawer, open it and stuff in the placemat. So often on days when I am absent-minded I won't notice and then when I open the drawer to pull out placemats for dinner I'll find the morning one all stuffed in a ball! :)

Amy does various things (often only with a LOT of verbal prodding) like eat by herself, dress herself, put away toys, etcc. I have taught her to put her dirty dishes/cups in the sink and things in the garbage when asking only once. She loves to help me throw dirty clotes into the laundry machine. But as for folding... well let's just say that she's better at unfolding. :)

Hallie_D
02-23-2004, 03:59 PM
Elijah loves to unpack groceries. He can get pretty frustrated if the item gets stuck in the bag (which will happen quite often because he seems to reach his hand through the bag handle more often than not), but he is very proud of himself when he can hand me something and I put it away. He also loves "reorganizing" the tupperware drawer--the only drawer that doesn't have a latch. He will sometimes remind me to put away the laundry by unfolding things in the basket.

sweetbasil
02-23-2004, 06:03 PM
Let's see...we have a few. And one should be under the category of scariest moment of my life:

*replaces trash bag in trash can after we take out the full bag
*loads groceries onto conveyer belt in the store
*gets his own zoo pals plate before meals (the disposable, animal or sports themed plates)
*hangs up his towel after bathtime
*brings clean underwear down from his room upstairs if he has an accident
*cleans up his toys before bedtime
*brings the recycling bin up the driveway on Mondays after it's picked up-- with my supervision, of course...except for this one time (here's the scary part)-

I roll over in bed one Monday morning at 7:03am (you don't forget these things) to see Kellen standing beside my bed. "Look what I got, Mommy? I did my job!" He was holding the empty red recycling bin! I 'bout peed my pants, was suddenly totally awake, and sat straight up in bed- "Where'd you get that?"

He says, "From the street, mommy. That truck drove by reeeeeeeeaaaaly fast, but the trash man sure was nice!"

Holy crap. Let's just say we immediately had a nice little chat about only going outside with mommy or daddy and then Kellen-proofed the front door. He'd never done anything like that, or given us any indication that he was planning such a thing. What a tricky little thing. And lucky for us, he made it into the house unscathed! Whew!

muskiesusan
02-24-2004, 04:29 PM
Nick "helps" with everything, except for the vacuuming-its scares the crap out of him. Other than that, he likes to gather the trash (but doesn't get it only needs to be done once a week), dusts, sweeps, dishes, windows, laundry, etc, just nothing very well! I curse the day I cleaned the toliet in front of him, I am still trying to break him of wanted to do that with any brush he finds!

Susan
Mom to Nicholas 10/01/01
& Baby #2 due 4/23/04!!!!

August Mom
02-25-2004, 03:35 AM
We do almost exactly the same things with DS (only he doesn't say "Thank you, sweetie" - how cute!) as Jeanne does with Truman. Also, he will throw trash in the trash can, moves a chair over and climbs on it to watch what I'm doing in the kitchen, uses the Dustbuster and helps me when I'm baking. The baking thing is pretty cute. Whenever I have something in th oven, I'll turn the light on and he'll watch it bake. When the timer rings, he'll go and get an oven mitt and put it on. We have a rule about where he has to stand when I'm getting things in and out of the oven and he abides by that rule (one of the few times he actually listens to me LOL). It is so cute how he loves that oven mitt. He also likes to "wash" dishes in the sink. But, this is VERY messy. He gets soaked and there's water everywhere. So, this is reserved for special occasions. And, he likes to push the buttons on the microwave. Oh, and he likes to help carry in bags from the car.

jojo2324
02-25-2004, 11:05 AM
LOL about the cookies. I've been trying for over a week now to make cookies with Gannon, but then we all got the cooties. :( I'm gearing up for it to be a big ol' mess, but I can't wait!!

Unfortunately, our digital camera is busted, so I won't be able to capture it. :( I'll have to "resort" to plain old 35 mm film.

nigele
02-25-2004, 02:14 PM
I let Tom help unload the dishwasher, too. One time, I had my back turned to put some dishes in the cabinet and when I turned around, he had somehow unscrewed the rinse aid dispenser from the dishwasher and was sucking rinse aid out of it! Eeek - fortunately he was okay but I really watch him now!

newbelly2002
02-25-2004, 04:29 PM
I think there is a "Free to Be You and Me" song (am I dating myself too much here?) whose chorus seems entirely appropriate to this thread:

"And some kind of help is the kind of help
That helping is all about.
And some kind of help is the kind of help
We all can do without!"

Let's see, my "helper"...

* Puts shoes back by the front door (also will take them out when he feels he hasn't been out of the apartment in the last 57 seconds)
* Pulls out and puts away vaccum cleaner
* "Tames" said vaccum cleaner by sitting on it,legs forward,like a sled
* Does the dishes (Lisa: an art smock helps keep clothes dry!)
* Removes all clothes from the hamper, let's call this "sorting."
* Sweeps with the swiffer or broom (caused tears at an airport once when the janitorial staff refused to give him her broom, despite the fact that he signed "please.)
* Puts apple peels that he doesn't want to eat, and that *I* don't want to peel, into the trash can.

And this is the best...

* Picks up *all* crumbs, pet hair, and general "fuzzles" to be found on the floor. He brings them to me, pinched between his fingers and sucking in his breath in a loud gasp while making a face as if to say: "EEK! MAMA! Look what I found!" To which I can't help but say: "oh no! Dirt! It couldn't be...." I'm just waiting until the day when he runs to retreive the vaccum cleaner to add insult to injury.

Paula
Mama to Dante, 8/02

ChicagoMama
02-25-2004, 06:03 PM
I know it was a scary moment, but I am giggling so hard right now at your description of the moment that I'm waking up my little one. I'm so glad he's OK....and I guess now I know that they are capable of doing that at some point!!! Wow!!!
Becky

Mama to DDs Shelby 09/19/02 and Sydney 10/13/03

brubeck
02-25-2004, 07:19 PM
I love Free To Be You And Me too! I got it on DVD and now Amy watches it. What a blast from the past, especially the Michael Jackson part!