My Little Helper Helping

Let's dance!

Max is almost two and he loves to help, especially if it involves tools and/or dirt. This weekend he got to help with both. I'd cleaned up the strip of dirt in the front of the house (more to come on that later) and then we had a series of thunderstorms. The wheelbarrow filled with dirt, gravel, and gardening tools had been sitting in front of the house under the porch roof for about a week.

Max has been eying that trowel and the giant screwdriver that I use as a weed digger every time we walk past, and Sunday he got his chance. Not only did he help me take the bucket of tools back to the shed (he carried the screwdriver), but he helped me move the wheelbarrow. I had him hold the edge while it was full, then he got to walk between the handles in front of me and help push it when it was empty. (he did not help during the dumping process, he stood to the side and watched)

Let me tell you, I had to give myself a few pep talks before I'd let him hold a screwdriver or go near a loaded wheelbarrow. I'm not a super over-protective mom, but I have my hangups. But as he's been reminding me a lot lately as he's been establishing his independence - he can do it. (terrible two's, anyone??) So I'm letting him do it (and trying not to hover too much). Thankfully he's a responsible little man and a good listener, so when I tell him how to handle tools he's very good at following instructions. I even let him hold the hammer the other day. He listened really well about keeping it away from his toes, but I wasn't very specific about keeping it away from all toes. Like mine...