Get Real

For the past two months, my kitchen floor has been covered in measuring cups from the time Luke wakes up until he goes to bed. His most favorite thing in the whole world is pulling all the cooking utensils out of every drawer and carrying them around the house. Last time I used the mixer, I had look for my paddle. I found it behind the couch!

Babies and kids love real things. I noticed this as soon as Gracie was old enough to play. The plastic keys are fine- until they catch sight of the real set in the diaper bag. If you let a little girl choose between a plastic Barbie tea set, or playing with your tea kettle and mugs, she will go for the real stuff every time. Mickey Mouse cell phones are great, until dad comes home and sets his work cell on the counter. Plastic tool sets are just a disappointment. Caleb wants to hammer some real nails. Same goes for the kitchen set. My kids want to really bake something.

I think this is because kids want to be part of the real world. It's kind of insulting if you think about it. They want real things, important things, meaningful things. They want tools to get the job done. And we give them plastic ones and tell them to go play, because they're not big enough to use the real thing. What harm would come from letting them loose with some real stuff? Let them bake some cookies. Let them use the coffee mugs. Give them some real shovels and let them dig in the garden. Help them hammer some nails into a board. Then channel their drive and the skills you are teaching them into doing something productive- helping make dinner, helping with the garden, helping dad build. They'll have a deep sense of accomplishment, and you'll have a lighter work load.