Something I have observed with many children and my own daughter is how much they want to help us adults. We are usually in a big rush to get things done (for example; hanging the washing, unpacking the dishwasher, setting the table, watering the plants). 

In my own parenting I try to slow down and let my daughter help as much as she can. There are many reasons why I do this. 

Firstly, she is learning life skills that will help her understand the way the world works. This will also encourage her to manage herself as she progresses through life. 

Secondly, it teaches her that she is a part of our family unit and that she can contribute and have a role too. This is incredibly important to understanding her identity but also knowing that adults don’t need to do everything for her. This is essential as I want her to continue helping later on as she grows up. She also understands that I value her needs and respect that she is a competent individual even at the age of 22 months. 

Yes things take longer and sometimes the forks end up in the wrong section of the drawer when she unpacks the dish washer. We use this as an important opportunity to learn the right place for the forks to go. I give her the space to make mistakes so she understands that this is normal, a part of life and mistakes can be fixed. Without giving children these opportunities how will they ever learn to utilise these innate skills and build resilience later in life?
If you would like to read and know more check out this article from Psychology today which shows how important it really is to let our children help. 

The most important message we can take away from this is that if we support our children by letting them help in the beginning, they will continue to want to help throughout the rest of their lives. Something that all parents really want from their kids. So I’ll continue to choose to let my daughter help in any way she can. 

“Help me to do it myself” - Dr Maria Montessori