I love that whenever I have a task to complete around the house, particularly when it is outside, Lukas is excited to help out. He can't wait to get on his 'work' clothes and get dirty. The enthusiasm he shows for what I would otherwise consider miserable work, often leads to another fun father and son bonding moment.For instance Sunday afternoon, thanks to my father's pickup truck being available (I'm choosing to focus on the fact that it was available to use and NOT that it was here because he and a good portion of my family are all traipsing around Paris - probably gulping red wine, eating stinky cheese, and gnawing on baguettes as I type this), I decided it was a golden opportunity to avail myself of the last of the Big ol Dirt Pile.
It certainly wasn't something I had been looking forward to doing. Truth be told, I was kind of dreading it seeing how we have officially entered the Dog Days of Summer. However, as I began to load the first of countless shovelfuls of soil into my wheelbarrow, Lukas came rolling up with his own wheelbarrow ready and willing to earn his supper.
I was happy for the help. We shoveled, we sweated, we stopped to eat peas from our garden. We even stopped to throw a few immature plums into the bushes just for the fun of it.
And, after a couple of hours of hard labor, we were good and ready for the fine meal Mrs. LIAYF had just pulled off the grill. Food always tastes better after hard labor. Especially when it's accomplished with the help of your 3 year old son and his little wheelbarrow.
It even made me forget for just a little while that I was here in Seattle shoveling dirt, and NOT traveling through France eating stinky cheese.
Posts
11 comments:
Somewhere around age 4 they stop wanting to help.
three is the perfect age for yard work. They don't know it yet, but eventually you can start taking more and more breaks and they can do more and more work as they get older and by the time they're teenagers they won't have to complain about doing it themselves because they pretty much have been their whole life.
You're a genius..
My oldest is 5 and a half and he, thankfully, still loves to help daddy! Just this weekend he moved fifteen 5 pound boxes from our family room to the back door so I could load them in the car without walking my muddy shoes all the way through the house a half dozen times.
To me stuff like this is the essence of father and son. I can't wait for it.
I have been to France about 5 times and I say don't worry. I don't care for the French. If they ever go to Itlay be sure not to miss that trip.
Yeah, somewhere arround age 7 mine stopped helping out. The little one can still be motivated by money, but the older one, not so much. Enjoy it while it lasts! -J
reminds of the time my dad built an addition to the house. He did the building and I did the carting all the dirt away bit.
I'm curious as to what qualifies as the dog days of summer in Seattle? 74%? 78%? 83%? It was a blistering 106% here in Oklahoma today. My eyebrows got sunburned.
@Papa K - I'm from Oklahoma, so I feel your pain. Mr. LIAYF doesn't truly understand HOT. Seattle weather is lovely. We hit high 90's in June, but it's been mid 70-mid 80's all July. I think everywhere else in the country people are sweltering.
France is over-rated. You have the best deal by far there with Lukas.
@William - I still have another year then. Score.
@Eric - excellent plan.
@Chris - If they enjoy it, let's keep engaging them to help.
@Otter - yeah, it's pretty cool. And we have traveled to Italy. Loved it.
@Julliana - I'll start saving up.
@Keith - I'm sure it kept you strong.
@Papa K - That is your punishment for being a Rangers fan. :O
Glad you have a little helper there - utilize it while it lasts!! :)
Post a Comment