Updated: October 20, 2023
Originally Published: July 9, 2010
Mothers of young children often seem to struggle with their daily tasks, but the reality is that they are never short on assistance. In fact, toddlers are eager to contribute, often exclaiming, “I DO IT MYSELF!” with a level of enthusiasm that can be both amusing and exhausting.
For instance, if you need to catch up on some work in the morning, your toddler will gladly lend a hand. There’s nothing quite like the joy they find in transforming your important documents into colorful works of art with crayons or interrupting your client calls with requests for juice. This ensures that everyone knows just how vital your role is, even if it means dealing with a few extra interruptions.
Once you’ve dealt with the aftermath of their enthusiastic “help” — like retrieving emails they may have accidentally deleted — you might notice that the house could use a bit of tidying. Thankfully, while you’re still trying to remove Pop Tart crumbs from your keyboard, your toddler has already taken it upon themselves to “clean” by spreading toys and mess across every surface, creating a uniform look of chaos.
Let’s not forget the yard. Toddlers are excellent gardening assistants too. Once they’ve stomped through flower beds, weeding becomes unnecessary. And in their quest to keep things tidy, don’t be surprised if they take some of the indoor mess outside, burying it in mud. You’ll have a fun treasure hunt ahead of you when your child insists on finding the beloved stuffed animal they decided to plant.
Next up is the grocery store, an outing that can feel overwhelming but is made easier with a toddler in tow. They will help you by filling the cart with items at their eye level while pointing out fellow shoppers’ unique fashion choices. They might even test the freshness of bread loaves by dropping them and pretending to ride them like a horse, all while you juggle the minivan hatch.
If stress levels seem to rise, toddlers are quick to provide some much-needed comic relief, offering to make a mess in a way that allows you to engage in your favorite pastime: cleaning up after them. Their selfless acts are akin to little heroic efforts throughout the day.
Exercise can also be a stress reliever, even if it’s puzzling why you’d feel tense when your toddler is so actively involved. A quick jog with a stroller loaded with toys provides both resistance training and an opportunity for your child to help dispose of any snacks you might otherwise have enjoyed.
As dinner time approaches, your toddler can assist in the kitchen, albeit in their typical fashion, which often results in more food on the floor than in the bowl. This innovative approach ensures that meals are as chaotic as they are creative.
If your dinner ends up being a hasty meal of cold mac and cheese consumed over the sink, your toddler will be thrilled to host a tea party featuring invisible treats, complete with obligatory attendance. They’ll even patiently restart the game each time you mix up the names of their stuffed friends.
So, if you ever feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities of motherhood, remember that toddlers are always eager to help — whether you ask them to or not. Their involvement might be chaotic, but it’s also filled with laughter and unexpected moments of joy.
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Summary
Toddlers, with their boundless energy and enthusiasm, play a unique role in a mother’s daily routine, providing both assistance and comic relief. Their “help” may often create more chaos than order, but it is filled with love and laughter, making the challenges of parenthood a bit more manageable.