Never too Young

In a society where things are freely given (and taken) it's become harder and harder to teach my kids how to give from the heart when in public. It seems as though people are always willing to do things for kids, expecting that they can't or are not capable of doing things themselves.

They're smarter than we think. I just read a blog about teaching your kids responsibilities when they're old enough. Every child is different, therefore "old enough" should be determined by the child, not by a standard age. In my house, when K learned to get down from the table by himself, he was taught to put his own dishes away, whether it's in the empty dishwasher or in the sink.

As soon as he was able to make a mess with his toys, he was taught to clean them up. This even applies at church. I remember his teacher telling me once that they would clean it and not to worry about it. I just smiled and asked K to clean up his mess and let her know what our expectations of him were and are. By K helping clean up the mess he helped make, other kids started doing the same and the teacher was able to leave earlier because she didn't have to clean it up by herself.


He feeds the dog. He turns on the DVD player and TV by himself when he wants to watch a movie or watch Signing Times. He buckles himself up in the car. He started helping fold laundry when he was only 2. He enjoys sweeping the floors and now he likes to mop my floors. When the UPS man delivers a package to the door, he brings it inside for me (if it's not too heavy). He's even responsible for taking his own clothes to the laundry basket when he undresses or changes clothes. He picks out the book he wants me to read every night. He brushes his own teeth, but I go behind him and sparkle them up a bit. Oh, he even answers the phone. That works great, because if it's a telemarketer they hang up thinking they have a wrong #. LOL

I don't say this to boast, but to let you know they will live up to the expectations we have for them. K has been labeled as a "good helper" and good big brother, therefore he enjoys helping and truly is a wonderful big brother.

Now when we first started teaching my son these responsibilities, it took a little longer (by my clock) to get done than I would have liked, but they got done. Now, he's mastered a lot of them and completed them before I realize he even started. He takes pride in being a "helper". He'll even ask me if he can be my "Good Samaritan".

I don't want my children to be ones that expect to be given to, but freely gives to others.

I realize I was put here to serve the Lord. In serving the Lord, I know I am to serve others before self, but if I do everything for my children, than who am I teaching them to serve? In teaching my children to be self-sufficient, it's teaching them to serve others by not having to be served in ALL they do.