Lesson Learned!

I am a truly blessed grandma . . . I see this daily in so many ways, but one big way is in how I am able to see and spend time with my grandsons pretty much every week . . . and typically more than once a week! On the average week I see my youngest grandson Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and then either Wednesday or Thursday (I babysit for him on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays) and my other two grandsons either Wednesday or Thursday and then Friday and Saturday . . . we just hang out Wednesdays or Thursdays after school and then take them to our Church's mid-week (if on a Wednesday) or spend time doing Science, the Bible & Fun together and then Fridays the boys have a sleep-over and of course are here for at least part of the day on Saturday.

This is a typical week for me - and like I said, I am most certainly blessed!

The boys were at my house yesterday afternoon and early evening and I learned something important . . . or at least was reminded of something I was too distracted to think about. Caleb (four years old) wanted to do some work to earn money for something he wanted to buy, so I gave him some jobs to do. First of all, I have to say I'm so impressed with how hard he worked, what a great job he did following instructions and with how he stuck with it until he completed the work he was given to do!

One "job" I gave him was for him to wash the dining room window and the window in the dining room door. I handed him the window cleaner in the spray bottle (my first "mistake") some towels and pointed him in the right direction. Then I returned to preparing supper (my second "mistake")!

Caleb went to work. He moved a chair so he could reach the windows and happily sprayed, and sprayed, and sprayed . . . you get the idea . . . the windows with the cleaner. (Spray bottles do resemble squirt guns a lot!) Then he used the towels to wipe the cleaner away. He returned the cleaner with a dripping wet towel and a big smile on his sweet face. 

I looked over to the windows and from across the room I could see cleaner dripping down the windows!!! Yes, I should have given significantly clearer instructions to the four-year-old about how to clean a window!!! I went over and cleaned up the cleaner - dried up a puddle of cleaner on the windowsill - after all, he worked hard to clean the window - I didn't give enough of the correct instructions!

I learned - or at least remembered - how important it is to give clear instructions to young children when they are "helping"! And, yes, he did help a lot! He worked hard and did everything I asked him to do!

Next time I want him to help with the windows, I will show him how to do it, first!