folding lessons

  

Laundry folding went a {tiny} bit slower than usual today.
  These little arms love "jobs", but supplying such inevitably slows my own.

Or does it? 

After all...

what's laundry & dishes compared to these {tinies}?

and THAT is what I need to remember in the daily.

Comments

[Kelly]

I am bad about letting the girls help when I'm just trying to get something done. I always think, "it will just be faster if I do it myself." And, it is, but that's not always what it's about. This post was a good reminder for me.

[Marie]

One time I had the laundry all folded and set out in piles on my bed, just ready to go into the drawers. I left to do some quick thing, and when I came back Carter had scooped it all back into the laundry baskets. "Look, Mom, I cleaned up the mess!" What can you do but say, "Thanks for helping," and start all over again, right?

[Megan]

I could seriously never be that patient, I can't even let Tom help me fold the laundry.

[Tiffany]

I had a professor who drilled this phrase into our heads: "The purpose of the task is to strengthen the relationship." So easy to forget!

Jessica asked Kaitlyn to help fold some towels last week. They were doing a 2-person-fold (holding corners, joining corners, etc.). Kaitlyn thought it was the best thing and just wanted to keep going and going. It is fun to watch them do something for the first time.

[sista #2]

You are awesome! SO right. I am too picky about my bath towels though. They can fold anything else, but those. They can fold their own though. So nice to be at this age & say 'here's your clean clothes, go hang them up'.
Aaaahhhh! :) ciao

[Mandi]

I love the folding pictures! Savannah loves to fold laundry with me. I guess we should take advantage of them wanting to work because in a few years I'm sure it will take much prodding to get them to do anything!

[Sheri]

Such a good thing for them to learn! What good boys!

[Price Cream Parlor]

I have to remind myself after the boys make their beds daily - So easy to go and FIX everything - but it defeats the purpose.
Love that you took photos of this process! What a GREAT Mom you are!

[Barb]

Good for you! Once in awhile my bigs don't want to do a job, but it's too late for them because they learned how when they were littles! It truly does pay off to do the job the slow way with littles. Truly. Plus it really is so much fun. Okay, now I'm feeling a bit melancholy over how big my kids are now. That was a sudden mood swing in one short comment!

[Jill]

I'm impressed that you're starting them young. It's so slow when the kids "help" but it's so great to teach them when they're little and to instill in them the knowledge that they're part of the family and need to help.

[Jaime]

What a great mom! I don't have the patience to have my kids even in the same room while I'm folding laundry!

[Jaime]

Hey would you email me?? hulseys@msn.com

[Jordan]

Perhaps you didn't think to inspire with this post, though it did...inspire me today. Seth came clambering up on the bed this afternoon. A bed full of clothes needing folding. Instead of shooing him off with complaints of tipped over piles I asked if he would like to help me fold. I was surprised at his willing hands. He got through only three pairs of pj's but saved us both yet another irksome moment. Thanks--for helping slow things down a bit over here.

[jenny c.]

You are so good to patiently teach them. Half the time I just want to get something done and do it myself. Thanks for the reminder...really am I raising laundry or boys?

[Michelle]

I am loving your pictures! You do have the cutest boys! I am impressed that your teaching them to fold laundry. Are they out for hire? heee heee! :)

[Annalisa]

When I was first married, oh back in the dark ages before electricity (or at least cell phones and ipods), we were talking about kids helping at home and one suggestion was to let kids do things like fold towels and most importantly don't redo their work. That has always stuck with me because I am definitely one who likes to take over, as my husband kindly reminded me last night when teaching my niece to play Phase 10 I practically took over her hand.