Raising Mini Humans - Empowering your mini through daily activities around the home.

My 'Little' in the kitchen at 'Nonna's' house - She is always cooking something and will encourage him to help her every time!

Mama, I see you! We're busy with a capital B! So I'm sure the thought of involving your 'littles' in household chores probably seems like a nightmare because (a) we can do it faster and (b) we're probably setting ourselves up to have more cleaning to do after our toddlers have "assisted" us in whatever we're doing.... But hear me out! This is what the phrase 'long term gain for short term pain' was predicated on.

The 'Montessori' approach to raising our 'littles' focuses on the empowerment of children through meaningful tasks, and while it may seem like a a massive undertaking at first, the long term benefits of teaching and engaging children in everyday chores not only teaches them practical life skills, but also nurtures independence, responsibility, and a sense of contribution to the family unit.

So how exactly are our 'littles' going to benefit through assisting us around the home, and what are some ideas for age appropriate tasks that will get the ball rolling on empowering our minis.

Well, lets start with the benefits... In our house I have noticed six positive changes in my little man since I started to include him in everyday tasks.

1. A surge in independence

Toddlers LOVE independence! The phrase "I can do it" feels like a broken record on repeat in our home. And while at times it's frustrating when I just want something done, involving our 'little' in 'slow', age-appropriate tasks, such as setting the table, folding laundry, or watering plants, he has learnt to become more independent. I feel as though he's begun to discover his own capabilities and has gained an immense amount of confidence in his abilities to contribute to our household.

2. A sense of responsibility

Assigning our 'little' specific chores around our house has shown him the importance of responsibility. Something as simple as feeding the dog each morning has taught him that his actions have an impact on his environment and the people around him. He has definitely developed a sense of accountability surrounding this task and has now begun reminding me that it's time to feed the floof.

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