Mothering Day Three: Nuturing Our Children

In honor of Mother’s Day, I am posting a week’s worth of information on the things that I have started to do since I became a mother. Here are Day One and Day Two.

Nurturing means promoting and sustaining growth and development.  This is one of the most important roles of the parent.

I know that I often get caught up in my role as a homemaker rather than that of a mother.  I feel like I must keep my house clean and get all of laundry done, and once those tasks are completed, then I can spend time with my children.  But what I have learned, and am still learning, is that it is possible to nurture your children while I am completing these tasks.

Daily Ways to Nurture Your Children Without Neglecting Household Duties:

• Cleaning- Give them a broom or a cloth and spray bottle and let them join in.  I always have my children pick up whatever is on the floor before I sweep or vacuum.  We wipe down counters and tables together, and clean windows as a team.  Sing together or talk about what you see outside the window while you work together.
  

• Doing Laundry- Children are great at sorting laundry.  This is a good way to teach them colors or sizes as well.  My children love to put the clothes into the washer or dryer and push the buttons.  Once they are older, you can fold and put the laundry away together.
  

• Picking Up- I don’t know many children who actually like to help pick up their toys, but since it has to be done, find fun ways to do it.  Put a bin on one side of the room and have your kids toss their toys into the bin.  Sort things by sizes and talk about which are small and which are big (big, bigger, and biggest, etc).  Let each child have a specific job- one child picks up puzzle pieces while another gathers stuffed animals, and the one who completes the job the fastest wins.  Reward with healthy snacks- my kids love smoothies.
  

• Cooking and Baking- Don’t let these moments pass you by!  We all cook on a daily basis and this is a great way to get your children involved.  I am determined to grow independent, self-sufficient people, and one way to do this, is to teach your children how to cook.  Such a simple thing can make a big difference in regards to how healthy they eat and how much money they can save.  Use these moments to teach about measurements and different types of foods.  For little ones, you can teach the simple lessons of hot, warm and cold, or wet and dry.  Children love being involved when they are able to eat the outcome of their labors!

Keeping our children involved in these types of tasks teaching the life skills that they will be able to use when they are one day living on their own.  We are not only teaching them but spending valuable time with them.  Yes, it is much easier to put a movie on and plop them in front of it.  But it is worthwhile to spend the extra time to enrich their lives and your own.

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