The Never Ending Dish Towel Folding Contest

My girls have to fold laundry while I read to them. It's one of the perks of being the teacher. Hehe! To be fair, I fold my own laundry, but while I read they need to fold dish towels.

My four year old was excited about it. (She is four remember, laundry is still glorious in her eyes)

Anyway, four chapters later, her dish towel amount is still in a heap with only one dish towel done.

We had a little chat. I brought out the Belonging tool since it worked so well last time. And my daughter nodded her head and said, "Yes, Mom, I will fold these. They will help our family."

And then two chapters later, the pile still sat. I wanted to go into discipline mode. But before I correct her for disobedience, I ask her if she knows what she is to do. (Intentionality and Reciprocity)

"Oh yes. I'm to fold the tea towels."

"Do you know how to do that?"

"Yes."

"Can you show me?"

Away she goes, folding them so well.

"And you understand that Mommy wants this done?" (Asking Questions)

She nods.

And then loses a toy and is corrected.

We come back to the tea towels and I ask her about it.

It's a monumental task, it seems.

"A challenge," I say.

We fold a few together and talk about why work needs to be done right away. I talk about Daddy working and what would happen if he spent all day drinking coffee and telling his boss he was going to get his job done but was slow to start. (Bridging)

"That would not be good."

Then we talked about how dawdling slows everybody down and everyone ends up waiting or missing important deadlines because we were slow to get going. (Meaning)

The light goes on in her face.

"Don't worry Mom. I'll do these right away."

And then she did.

ML Criteria Focus: Challenge