Isabelle used to watch me load the washing machine around the time she started talking. In an effor to teach her about doing laundry and practice talking, I used to repeat the same three phrases after I loaded the clothes into the washing machine.
Me: First, you add the detergent, which makes the clothes…
Isabelle: Clean!
Me: Next, you add the fabric softener, which gets the clothes…
Isabelle: Soft!
Me: Finally, you add the color bleach, which keeps the clothes…
Isabelle: Bright!
Once all of the liquids were loaded, we started the machine together.
Not much has changed now that Ari is here. He, too, likes to watch me load the washing machine. I’ve still got the same schtick, but he isn’t completing my sentences — yet.
Today, we added one more step to the laundry process. I encouraged Ari to help unload the dryer once it dinged. He was happy to oblige.
As you can see, he needs some practice getting the clothes in the laundry basket.
Raising Literate Humans 
Sentence stem love. That Ari, he’s a busy little dude.
Great lessons early on!
With front loaders our little ones can help with things that used to take a certain amount of height. #signofthetimes
Yep, he’s pretty cute–the conversation between you and Isabelle is great.
The pictures bring your dialogue to life! Should I be using fabric softener??? Maybe I need a lesson too!
Yes! I’m a fan of the liquid, but dryer sheets with fabric softener work too.
Love the sentence completions supplied by Isabelle. Ari is just too cute! Always love your photos and your stories. You are an amazing Mom, Stacey!
I love your use of conversation in the piece. Reminds me of those brief, sweet talks with our children. I miss those ‘helping’ days when they were young and wanted to help with all the household tasks!!
Ari is such a helper. I loved how you said you have the same schtick that you had with Isabelle. I found myself singing the same made up song to my grandson that I used with my kids.
I’ll have to teach you my socks and shoes song for when your grandson protests wearing shoes. (Wish I had invented it when I had Isabelle. Alas, happy to share the wealth now.)
The way you present the conversation turns the experience into a poem, similar to “An Echo Sonnet: To an Empty Page.” And you bring back beautiful memories of teaching my own children. Moments to treasure. You are a wonderful mother, Stacey.
I’d have Ari as the chief unloader of the drier, he’s the right height. Teach them young when it’s still a game. You’ve got the right idea!
He *is* the right height!
Someday I will be able to do this with my little grandbaby, Sierra, and remember your steps to engage little ones, Stacey.
I invent little songs/call-and-responses for mundane tasks all of the time. We even have a socks-and-shoes song to the tune of “Three Blind Mice.”
My son loves to help with laundry – every step of it! My daughter makes herself scarce and won’t come in the laundry room with me for fear of being put to work. 🙂
Oh, Clare! She’ll come around some day! (Maybe once you force her to do her own laundry as a teenager.)
I love that you are sharing the “How to” process of a task with both your daughter and your son, helping them to see that it’s simply a task needing to be done. It doesn’t have a label. In today’s time-starved world of both parents working in many households, it’s so important to have our children see the same “chores” being done by both males and females. I know this was certainly not the case in my home growing up. Love your dialog! Ari will be completing your sentences in no time!
I agree! My kids will always know that mommy and daddy both do laundry, do dishes, change diapers, drive, etc. I think it’s good for them to see each of us do these things.
Isn’t it fun to go through new steps with Ari that remind you of the steps Isabelle took some time ago. You’re so wise to teach them to help with things at such a young age.
It is fine to have a reprise on so many things with Ari!
I loved your little choral ‘speak aloud’ you use when doing laundry with your kids! Reminds me of “worry, worry, worry, too much worry” from Wemberly worried! Making laundry fun, now that is a really good one!
Bravo! I totally agree. You are raising competent children who will know how to take care of themselves.
That’s my goal! Fingers crossed!
I enjoy the sweet little memory of life with your children. I smiled at the exuberance of your daughter finishing your list. It brings back happy recollections of when my children were little.
I think that my favorite line was the one about Ari not completing your sentences—yet. I love the power of the word “yet.” The pictures are also precious!
Yet was my OLW a few years ago. It’s ingrained into me as a result!