Stop "helping".

[BunnyBee]

I made up a game of hide and seek with non-traditional rules to distract my helpers. I am also not above bribing small children with television and well-timed snacks to get stuff done quickly.

And what's this mopping? Never heard of it.

[ArizonaGirl]

I made up a game of hide and seek with non-traditional rules to distract my helpers. I am also not above bribing small children with television and well-timed snacks to get stuff done quickly.

And what's this mopping? Never heard of it.

and I tried the mopping "thing" and all I got was a pinched nerve in my back (well, looking back on it, not so much at the time)

[twowhat?]

It's a cruel fact that by the time children are old enough to actually be effective helpers, they don't want to help anymore. Sucks.

[crayonblue]

I can TOTALLY relate. Totally.

[joules]

haha. What is it about the broom/mop/vacuum? Both DSs have had a fascination with the broom since before they could walk.

I made up a game of hide and seek with non-traditional rules to distract my helpers.

I play a game of hide and seek too when I'm trying to mop or vacuum. I try to hide in the corner to mop quietly and they always find me! Why do they always have to stand right where I'm trying to vacuum or right where I just sprayed the floor cleaner? Then when they look like they are occupied with cleaning the part of the floor I just tried to clean (DS1 usually has his toy vacuum and DS2 usually has a lightweight broom I have), I quietly hurry off to a different part of the house. And of course as soon as I spray my floor cleaner, they have found me and are standing on the wet spot again. Oh and the dog too!!

Of course all this moving around makes me lose track of where I cleaned or didn't clean. It's very inefficient.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

It's a cruel fact that by the time children are old enough to actually be effective helpers, they don't want to help anymore. Sucks.

HAHA this made me laugh out loud!! So true. But when that time comes i'm ready to fork over $$ to have them do it (i saw our 12yo next door neighbor mowing their lawn the other day and i was telling dh how wouldn't it be great when DS or DD is old enough to do that, rather than being ones who needs to be otherwise entertained while the other is doing it).

today ds spent 2 hours with DH "helping" put mulch in the front yard. he of course didn't really effectively help, but at least it was at the point where he didn't hinder the progress too horribly...this is a HUGE step, probably a first for us. though it literally involved throwing dirt around so that probably what made a difference

DD always insists on "helping" me put all the ingredients in the Vitamix. which effective translates in her putting half the items in because she eats everything else. it's so funny, she must munch on EVERYTHING that i ask her to put in it (though if i just gave it to her on a plate, it's apparently not as appetizing..whatevs). So instead of 1/2 a banana, what goes in is 1/4 of banana (with some added slobber, of course). She thinks it's hilarious when she nibbles on the ingredients before putting them in bc she knows she's not supposed to do it and i tell her not too. Today when making a smoothie she actually ate a few raw leaves of spinach just to spite me (she *hates* veggies). I was dying trying not to laugh!

[StantonHyde]

I let my kids have at it with the swifter when they were 18 -30 mos and the swiffer mop when they got older. TV is my usual default if needed. Day care was also awesome for the purpose of getting anything done.