Helpful not helpful, share

[brachysira]

How does your toddler help?  I was so tired, but had to give baby DS a bath because he was covered in dinner.  He is huge and sits well, but doesn't really get that you can't just flip around in the tub so I usually just get in with him.  After DH took him out, I thought I had better wash off because I wasn't sure when my next chance would be.  In runs DD, with the bath toys.  She proceeds to hand them to me one by one and say "I'm helping you take a bath."  Since that is exactly how I help her take a bath, she wasn't wrong, but it was exactly not what I needed at the time, except that it was cute.  She is getting pretty good at assisting with laundry putting away and putting recycling at the curb, but it's still mostly helping not helping.

[TheEleventhHour]

LOL. I love it. Toddler are definitely unhelpful helpers.

DS likes to give me toilet paper in the bathroom while I am peeing but unrolls half the damn roll. When I unload the dishwasher he "helps" by taking the silverware out and putting it on the floor. He has also figured out how to open the container we keep the dog's food in so he will open it and grab handfuls to put into the dog's bowl lol.

[brachysira]

Well, feeding the dog is pretty good. M will feed random dogs food she has, which is definitely not helpful. Unloading the dishwasher the way you are describing has been a favorite of DD's since she could walk. We almost always do the dishes when she is asleep these days.

[zaydensmomma20]

That is adorable lol.

DS likes to help with the laundry by helping put the loads into the dryer/washer and he'll help me "fold." Which is more like him getting a shirt or whatever and haphazardly fold it in all sort of ways. Also, DS loves to sweep the floor with his lil broom. But he just moves the dirt around instead of putting it in a pile.

[chilibeansm0m]

R loves to help me with the laundry. She tries to hang it outside with me, fold it (which basically means she balls it up and puts it somewhere else in the house), and tries to help me put it away.

With A shell try and give us a diaper during diap changes but ends up just running around with the diaper in her hand.

With the dishwasher she will try and hand me stuff though so that is helpful.

[b0710]

This topic is funny to me....and definitely true so often! The one thing that DS loves to do is throw anything away in the garbage. However, not the normal garbage, the big garbage bins/recycle bins in the garage. He will empty containers just so that he can throw them away. It's funny except that he often tries to throw away things that aren't garbage (or aren't yet anyways)....then he gets really made that he can't throw it away. He says "Mama....garfage, I throw away."


Edited to add that he also loves to help with laundry.  Sometimes this is helpful, but other times he puts the clothes from the dryer back into the washer...good times!

[constancegoodspeed]

Laundry, dishwasher, sweeping, vacuuming, "wiping" (aka dusting or washing windows/mirrors).

Last week I started having him bring his plate to the sink after he's done eating, but I have to help him hold it flat so his crumbs don't get dumped on the floor.

He'll bring me the baby's pacifier but I actually try to discourage "helping" with her since I don't want him doing it if I am not around.

[Deleted]

I try to have E help with as much as possible. Baking, laundry and she knows she needs to get a towel to clean up her own spills but it is certainly a test of my patience because everything takes about 1.5 times as long as I know it should.

She loves holding the measuring cups and dumping them into the bowl but no matter how many times I remind her to "try and keep it in the bowl" a good teaspoon to tablespoon is always dumped on the kitchen floor.

[michieu129]

Jack does "help" with laundry and getting stuff for baby brother, liked diapers and bibs and such.
I have no idea how you ladies get help with the dishwasher, Jack would break half the stuff in there.

[flmama622]

Henley tries to be very helpful. Lately she's wanted to clean the windows with me. She like to spray the cleaner but even though we use natural products im still not thrilled with the idea. Last week we cleaned every surface that was glass or a mirror.

[b0710]

flmama622 - would Henley like to clean all of my windows and mirrors? They could use it

[flmama622]

Yes! b0710! Lol