Think About It

The other day I was around a young man who was kind of having a tough day. You could tell he wasn’t doing what he wanted to do. I decided to ask if he would like to help me with a task, and immediately, his countenance changed. He perked up and handled the responsibility well. In fact, I believe he actually enjoyed doing it. As I look back, I wonder if he enjoyed being asked to do something “grown up” or if was the fact that a “gown up” asked him to do it. Either way, his day got better and mine got easier. As I thought about this, I wondered if our children miss out on being asked to do age-appropriate tasks? I understand trying to make their lives easier, but the sense of feeling useful can change attitudes and behaviors. I believe we have an innate desire to be helpful and, when we are asked to help, it makes it even more special and more fun. I understand that projects can take twice as long when shared with a child, but the lessons they learn and the memories we make ju