Dishes in Diapers: Helping your Toddler Grow

Parents are constantly concerned for the safety and development of their young children. They want to provide them with enough stimuli for their rapidly forming neurons to make the proper connections, so they make sure there are enough colorful toys, exciting sounds, and opportunities to put things together. But they often want to keep all these things confined to a "child-proof" area where their little one can explore without getting hurt.

Children get herded out of places like the kitchen, where there are many cupboards and drawers filled with sharp and breakable forbidden items. The living room can quickly become place to be avoided with all the latest gaming and electronic equipment, not to mention that special porcelain that belonged to great grandma. Child gates can be an important means of ensuring safety for children, but they can also be a quick fix for parents would just like to get their jobs done as quickly as possible.

As a mother, so many times I would like to just put my son in the other room, give him a toy and have him be happy so I can just do what I need to do. Unfortunately, he wants to do what I am doing, because it seems the better thing. At first I was just frustrated, and I tried to do my chores just when he was sleeping, or while listening to him screaming. I thought I did not want him to get hurt, or I did not want to make more of a mess, so I would rather just do things myself.

One day, I decided to pull up a chair, made sure it was secure, and let him "rinse" the dishes. At first, he dumped water everywhere, threw dishes on the floor, ate the suds, etc. As I continued to let him help me, I gave him simple instructions like "put the dishes in the drainer," and then showed him what that meant. I would ask him to put them in the drainer, and he would. When he tried to put them somewhere else, I would remind him "where do they go?" He would think for a moment, then put them in the drainer. When he put them in the drainer on his own without being reminded, I made sure to praise and encourage him.

I have been impressed with his development, because over the course of only a few times doing dishes together, he understood the routine, and I was able to prompt and encourage him to accomplish the task correctly. Of course, he still pulls the dishes back out of the drainer at times, water gets on the floor even though he tries to dump it in the sink, and he does eat the occasional suds ball. We have grown closer through these experiences, and he has learned new things I would not have known how to teach him otherwise. I still need to work on my patience, but the experience is worth it.

Children need more than just the colorful toys, exciting music, and children’s television shows, they need adult interaction. They need to learn about the world they are quickly growing up to be a part of. A little boy hanging on his mother’s leg while she is washing the dishes can be more than just a test of patience; it can be a golden opportunity.

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