Toddler Chores

I'm puffed up in first-time-mother pride now that my Jed has finally accumulated the ability to help around the house with a few little chores. They are the miracle cure to crankiness. They also figure largely in my evil plan to one day make other people do all my housework (hence the need for several more, smaller versions of Jed.)

His best trick is emptying the dishwasher. As soon as he sees it wheeled back into place (yes, I use a dishwasher from the stone ages that I procured for free over the internet...) he runs over to help. His first job is taking all the silverware out and putting it in the silver bin where it is kept on the counter.


He's so careful and methodical, adorable! Definitely gets that from his Dad's side.


Then he lifts all the plates out and stacks them on the door. He can carry them over a few at a time to Mom, who places them in the cabinet.


He dutifully takes any other bits and pieces that Mom hasn't gotten to yet out and she shows him which drawer to put them in. I don't organize my drawers, anyway, so he can toss them in as well as anyone!

He also helps load, but this has a much larger learning curve and some days are better than others, and mornings are definitely better than evenings, which usually just end up with dishes heaped in an enthusiastic pile.
His other chore is helping with the laundry. He loves to sort the laundry then trot behind me downstairs to shove it in the washer while chanting "Wash, wash, wash!" He also can move laundry from washer to dryer, or unload the dryer for me.

He's such a helpful boy!