I only find it hard when there is not too much for him to help with, or Isaak and him are fighting over who is going to help me. Isaak's generally liked to help in the kitchen and with laundry as soon as he could. Mica was pretty neutral to it until recently.
Along with this stage comes more responsibility.
What Mica does now:
- He's taken care of putting away his socks, underwear, pjs and pants for a long time. Now he has to hang his shirts up. He doesn't really like doing this, but I know he knows how. Therefore I make him do this task.
- He has to collect all the trash and takes it out, while we watch. The rule is, is that he can not go out without letting us know. Someone from my sister's high school went to take out the trash and never came back. I'm paranoid about our kids going in the front of the house alone.
- Mica packs his own school lunch with me talking him through it. This is a pretty big step. Before Kindergarten he had trouble spreading peanut butter on a piece of bread. He doesn't have peanut butter sandwiches all the time. Sometimes he does.
- This is a task I'm still shaky on, he started peeling his own carrot. Daddy helped him the first time. I did the second. He tried telling me he knew how to do it. I watched and he was peeling towards himself. YIKES I stopped him right away. This is a task that has to be overseen.
- He helps unload the dishwasher. Basically he stacks dishes, while I put them away.
- He also dumps ingredients in a bowl when I'm making things.
- He takes the plates to the table.