Being a homemaker and stay at home mom of littles can have so many blessings and joys and being able to train them in the ways of what the Lord calls us to do in taking care of our home. Each day brings a new aspect of child rearing when it comes to being a stay at home mom with littles. There's so many little tasks that they can help with loading the dryer, unloading the dryer, helping fold laundry, helping learn what buttons to push, helping dust, even if it's just for a second or smearing a dust rig across a surface. There are just so many little ways that children can help around the home and I think that is so important. It takes extra effort on our part as mothers but I think in the long run we are helping our children to become young adults when they are older that can care for their own place. Not saying there aren't challenges with this as yes or maybe a task I want to do myself and it would only take 10 minutes if I did it but having children help it takes 30. You know the time commitment and the lot of questions and the neediness it all is there and as you can see I'm going through that stage because I have a 4.5 year old, 2.5 year old, in a 5 month old. And so the needs are definitely there but I am telling myself this as much as I am telling you that it is very good. I love doing things for our home and why wouldn't I share that with my 2 girls and eventually our little boy. It's important to care for the things we are blessed with even if they're thrifted items. This black piano for instance is not a thrifted item, it's actually very special to me as it was my grandmother's piano that she gave many, many, many piano lessons on before she passed. And so I like to take care of it, dusting it, wiping off all the fingerprints because yes my girls will sit there and play on it and leave a little grimy fingerprints. But I think it's so important to teach them to take care of the items that we have in our home and show them to respect things that we have not to just destroy it and think we can get a new thing. But to care for what our hands have worked for and either buying or making. If you're a stay home mom who does schooling with kids you know that that is a time commitment. I am not to the point where it takes hours a day but I think it's important to train children and learning to love learning and that is why we homeschool to love the joy of learning to have the joy of learning. And yeah it's just maybe 15 to 30 minutes a day but it is something. And making the meals I talk about this often even if it's leftover homemade tomato soup and sourdough grilled cheese with some raw white cheddar it's still something that I enjoy making for my family. And they'll little will help set the table they'll get out our cloth napkins or they'll run around the table and play while I prepare because some days are like that where I just enjoy hearing their giggles as they chase each other around the table while I prepare lunch. After each meal I have asked our children to help clear the table to either load the dishwasher or dump their trash into the garbage. I often wash dishes by hand and we're getting to that but again that's just something little that they can assist with and that is just something important to learn to clear up after themselves. And again it takes extra time because I could have done that a lot quicker than having my oldest help but she wants to help and I think if we miss those opportunities when they're little then they're not going to desire to be as helpful when they're a little bit older. And I know you season to mothers out there know that to be true and have said that to me multiple times but here it's actually nap time and so I'm just doing my quick once over before I take a little rest myself or work on making these delicious cookies. So these chewy ginger molasses cookies the recipe will be over on my blog they will be perfect for the upcoming Christmas season whether it is for your family whether it is for giving away which I highly recommend to gift cookie baskets and neighbors families church members. They are a hit I love the chewiness of them the flavor that burst in your mouth from those warm spices and just the Roma when you're baking it it is so good. And after nap time my oldest loves rolling these in the sugar and yes it is a mess and it used to bother me knowing that all these messes would be all over the floor they sugar all their sugar pieces sprinkle across the counter and the floor. And the chair but what am I worried about when they are wanting to help when yes it takes a little extra time to clean up but you know again it's that having the children help and realizing it's okay I do have to say there are times when it's okay for them not to help they don't always have to be with me doing things because sometimes there are tasks like when I'm making pizza tonight for supper. That I really just want to enjoy doing myself and that it's okay for them not to help with everything and not to be in your space for everything sometimes too. But I know that it's good it is all good and I'm just going to reiterate that that training them having them help is also good and I really just had that on my heart because it's been a challenging past few weeks for me and I just wanted to share what I am seeing in this video and how it was good when I was having them help. So I hope you're just encouraged with this short little video on having your children help and that it is good for them to be a part of the home making process whatever age they are at. I want to leave you with this quote by Rod Dreyer. Every day acts within the home are more powerful than you might think.