Our little helper

Seren has become a personal shopping assistant. She is also really good at unloading the dishwasher, sweeping and picking up pieces of lint. It takes great skill, of course, to know when the cheese wants to be in the refrigerator and when it wants to be out. Clearly, us, as her parents, are not 'in touch' with most of the vegetables in the fridge. She is the great liberator of cheese, apples and lemons. And she works quickly! Turn around to set down the milk? Another lemon has been freed from the 'fresh' drawer.

As soon as the fridge door opens, she wants to be in there- liberating all of the food- saving them from certain boredom and doom.

Dad called to report that she was a great help at the Supermarket. She was especially skilled, he noted, at picking up the cans of cat food and putting them in the basket. The problem was that we didn't need ALL the cans of cat food. Seren was concerned that her job wasn't done. After all, there were still several dozens on the shelf! Why stop now, Dad?

Joking aside, we certainly do praise her for her help. She is a helpful person and we'd like to raise a helpful person. But I wonder sometimes if we go overboard in our praise.

The other day, Seren decided she would stand on a book. She puts one foot and then the other foot on a book laying on the ground. Just to get a rise out of her, I said, "Ta-da!" with my arms raised in jubiliation. Her visiting Grandma and father joined in. She liked that. She liked that a lot. Now, frequently, in the evenings, when I return home, I find her standing on items. Books, blocks, small cars (her experience with rolling objects hasn't been so positive) and she is yelling 'Ta-da!'

Wouldn't it be great if for every small accomplishment, you had someone cheering you loudly? Get to work on time? Ta-da! Pay the bills on time? Ta-da! Remember to floss every evening for a week? Ta-da!

I should work on this.