Superhero Helpers!

WOW! What a difference a day makes. There are too many adjectives to list: helpful, kind, polite, empathetic. I really can't remember a day that I've seen Jenson behave as grown up as he did. I don't know where it all started either - I wish I did!!

My best laid plans for the day went out of the window as Jenson dived into household chores willingly and enthusiastically. He started by putting all the cereal packets away after breakfast, folding up the tea towels, putting away all the train track, rolling up the play mat, doing the washing up, tidying up the TV room, making Wren's bed and tucking her bunny in, hoovering his bedroom and the rest of the house, folding blankets, (a good opportunity to brush on the topic of halves and quarters) displaying Wren's toys beautifully for her, stripping his bed and putting on the washing. Whilst tidying the TV room he found his favourite Lego chest. It was a useful lesson learnt about the benefits of picking things up and keeping things tidy.  In his own words, "Mummy it's good to tidy things up because you find things that you didn't know were there."  

His attention soon turned to his ongoing Christmas list, which he keeps adding to as and when ideas pop up! His writing is coming on really well, he was able to write the new items much easier than the ones he wrote last week. He was quicker and the sounds came out easier. We're not practising, I guess it's just his brain slowly getting there. It just goes to show that putting pressure on children does not aid learning, only stress.

He had done such a good job tidying, I said we could go to the park for an ice cream. I didn't want him thinking of this as a reward though so I said he had to use his own money from his piggy bank to buy it. We sorted the coins into size and colours and I counted it out. He recognises pound coins now and the rest will follow in time I'm sure.  He decided to take a pound with him. Wren meanwhile was tending to dolly, who was ill. Lucky for dolly she had Nurse Batgirl to look after her!

Seeing his sister dressed as Batgirl inspired Jenson to dig out his Batman costume. The pair of them make me laugh and I couldn't resist a photo opportunity in front of our favourite backdrop! 

On our way to the park there were a couple more photo opportunities of the pair of them cuddling up and once there it was business as usual: ice cream followed by lots of play! Wren is very keen on sorting leaves and so they did a little exercise. Walking back and Jenson became very interested in all the acorns lying by the roadside. We stopped and filled our pockets, which he then took home and put in his 'idea box'.

His helpfulness extended into the evening. He offered to peel the potatoes and carrots and although couldn't get the hang of the potato peeler, after encouragement from me, he persisted and I got some magnificently peeled vegetables! 

Jenson had said something earlier in the day that had stuck in my head, "I'm tidying up so that when Daddy gets home he might be very proud". It was fair to say we were both very proud.