After Dinner Routine

Dear Reader,

I prefer to clean up from dinner as soon as it is over. I make exception to this routine when guests are around, but really I can't wait to get the kitchen under control as soon after preparing a meal as possible. I like my countertops to be empty and the smell of Clorox-wiped counters to take over.

I've had a bit more difficulty accomplishing this goal in the past months as many nights it's just me and my son at dinner time. My husband has been trying to keep a consistent schedule to get in on some evening time with me and our boy, but dinners usually don't happen together. The challenge in the kitchen clean-up is a sweet little boy asking for me to be his after dinner playmate (and he includes the phrase "but I'll be lonely if I play all by myself.") Oh my.

The best solution I've found is involvement. We'll make a plan of fun activities to do after the kitchen is in order, and then we both work on the cleaning. Occasionally, my three year old actually helps rinse the dishes, and then I load the dishwasher. He's amazingly thorough, and every time he volunteers to do this, I couldn't be more pleased. And in the last weeks we've worked out the routine that he wipes the kitchen table down along with his seat at the table (which usually take on its fair share of crumbs and the like.)

I often use a dust buster after dinner to clean up around my son's place at the table, and he has taken to completing this task now as well. Last night while rinsing the dishes I noticed my son had placed the dust buster on the table, and he stood very still just watching the vacuum effect (and, I would imagine, trying to figure out how it worked.)

Sometimes the most ordinary of life experiences brings on some fun moments of discovery and good opportunity for spending time together.

Sincerely,
Abi