Life Skills

Sometimes I find myself daydreaming about what Playette will become when she is an adult. How will she spend her days? How will she best contribute to society?

I flip flop from sign language interpreter to teacher's aide to who knows what, but at the end of it all, whatever will be will be.

But she will do something.

This girl is smart. She is capable. She is eager.

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On Sunday afternoon, as I was chopping up vegetables to grill (you know, before they all go bad like I usually let them), BD came in the door with our weekly groceries.

I continued what I was doing and then Playette joined me in the kitchen.

"Mommy, need help?"

"Oh, no, baby. I'm fine. But thank you. I need to cut these up by myself."

"Ohhhhhhh. (It's always really long and drawn out like that.) Ok."

I assumed that she then left the room.

But she didn't.

Next to me on the counter was the coffee maker. Next to it is the container that holds the coffee.

She had gone to the center island, retrieved one of the boxes of newly purchased coffee from the mountain of items waiting to be put away, and began to open it.

I said nothing. I just stood there and watched.

After a moment of struggle, she asked for help because she couldn't get box #1 open.

"Mommy? I. Want. Help. Please."

I gave the perforated tab a little pull, but not too much.

She finished the job.

And then proceeded to load all twelve cups into the bottom drawer.

Knowing that was the only drawer she could reach, while she took box #1 to the recycle bin unprompted, I quickly threw those into top two drawers.

She returned and we repeated the process for box #2.

I was so flipping proud.

That was a self-initiated useful contribution to our household. 

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So, of course, I have now added "barista" to my list. She'd rock that ish.