Can a 2-year-old have chores? Of course!

Ben helps clear the table after dinner when Steve is home. A lot of the time we have to ask him over and over, but eventually he will do it. Usually one of us stands by the dishwasher, while the other is at the table giving the items to Ben to walk over.

Last night we had taco salad for dinner. When Steve is gone dinner is usually quick and easy. All I had to do was warm the seasoned beef, put it over nacho chips, add a bit of cheese and salsa, and dam...dinner!

Well, Ben loves nacho chips. He had more after dinner while he was watching Sesame Street and I was cleaning up the kitchen. After he finished the last of the chips on his plate, he walked right over to the dishwasher, I opened the door, and he put his plate on the top rack. He did this without saying a word. I was thrilled! Ben is a good kid, and that makes me smile.


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Ben likes to play in water. He will often put a stool up to the sink in the powder room and play in the sink. He also does that to wash him hands. Well, the other night he wanted to play in the kitchen sink. Playing in the sink can get messy. So, instead of engaging the kitchen faucet I showed him to just sip water from his cup, and spit it into the sink. That is just as fun, right?

Bad idea.

The rest of the night he thought spitting was fun. I was trying my best to correct him, which eventually meant that I took away his cup of water.

Well, right before bedtime he got his hands on a cup of milk. He walked right over to the window and proceeded to spit milk all over the window.

His chore: clean up the milk with a wash rag. So, yes, a 2-year-old can have chores. Especially, when it means cleaning up after yourself.