The other day Little Miss Sunshine came to me with a little notebook and a pen and asked me, “Mama, can you please help me make a list?”
“Ok, sweetie, what kind of list are we making?”
“Things we need to do today!”
I chuckled. Oh the little sponge. I’m a crazy list maker. I make lists everyday – shopping lists, errand lists, to-do lists, to-write lists, lists of my lists…I’m a bit obsessive. Since she was so eager, I decided to make this work for me, as well as do a little teaching. I began to write and say out loud:
1.Clean bedroom
2.Put away laundry
At this point, she stopped me, “Is watch t.v. on the list yet? Make sure you put that on there!”
3.Watch t.v.
I finished the list, re-read it, and explained that we have to do things in order of priority, so we had to start with number 1. She and I went to her room and she hastily put everything in its place. Then she asked if she could cross it off the list. Oh, sweet music to my ears. I think I have a type-A child!! After she crossed it off, we grabbed the laundry basket and she put all her clothes away in the right drawers. And THEN she crossed it off the list and said, “Now is it time to watch t.v.?” So she did a little Dora-exploring for a half hour.
The request for lists continued for the next few days, and we always put the chores first followed by a reward activity. Not once has she questioned anything on the list and has always been excited to cross things off!! Could it really be that easy? I’ll enjoy it while it lasts anyway!