Just a Minute

OMG my kids do things like that all the time!
LOL

I tell my kids "Mommy is cleaning... when I am done, we can do that.... "
Then, while I am finishing my cleaning... in my head I am thinking about where I put all those craft things and trying to remember and gathering the supplies up in my mind. So then, once I am done cleaning... I can zip to it and get all the stuff, ready.
Or I tell my 9 year old "while Mommy is finishing cleaning, please go and get the supplies and what you want.... and put it on the table..."
Because, the child CAN GET IT themselves, too.

I'm like you, i forget, i get wrapped up in cleaning or the babies (18 mo. and 4 mo.) and I forget. So yes, I drop what I am doing if at all possible, or I let my kids be annoying and stand over my shoulder till I am done, or better yet put them to work with me to get done faster. Part of my job as mom, is to teach and spend time with my kids, they need me more than whatever I am cleaning needs cleaned. It's hard to remember and it isn't about giving in, but about remembering my priorities. They really do matter more than the house and chores. and I'm not trying to sound negative at all, because I really do struggle every day and I still find out every night that i dropped the ball on one of the 5 and forgot to do something i said i would get to.

Personally, I don't remember Kiddo's constant requests for help for this project or that, so I have a habit of writing down those requests.

What's more, if you keep a list of the requests, you can start to 'plug them in' to your day's plan.

Most mornings, Kiddo and I have a ritual. We sit down with a piece of paper and make three columns: need to do, want to do, plan for the day.

Need to do: I write down every.single.thing which needs to be done, including meals, my shower, dishes, etc. and any appointments and Quiet Play Time, so he knows it's important.

Want to do: self-explanatory, and this is where I ask Kiddo to choose some things from that all-important project/activity list

Plan for the day: Plug it all in, in relative order. This way, Kiddo knows that "after mom makes morning snack, she's going to help me cut up that cardboard box before she does the dishes". It eliminates a lot of nagging and I am able to get my work done.

For longer projects, too, carve out half-hour chunks and explain it to her as such-- that a scrapbook is an ongoing project, and that you can help her at X time today/tomorrow, etc. My son is always making something or wanting my help. This keeps us both on track with each other and gives the day structure. And if I do have a minute, I'm happy to help immediately.

i think one of the best gifts we can give our children is that gratification is not always instant.
khairete
S.

I ask my kids to come back in an hour and ask me again.

That way they are responsible for their own project, give me time to finish mine, and if they forget it wasn't really all that important to them.

Also, scanning your photos ensures that you can print some for them without ruining the originals...

I think I would most likely just take a break, give her the supplies and go back to what I was doing. My kids have always been able to work on crafts pretty independently, I hardly ever sat down and did it with them.

If I indeed could fit it in the day, I would say wait a minute. If I forgot after I cleaned the bathroom and was into another project when she nicely reminded me. Yes, I would stop and help her out.

If I felt the day did not warrant me enough time to help her. Say I knew the bathroom needed cleaning, the closet, the dishes, the laundry. I would have told her from the beginning that I had too many things to do and perhaps I could help her another day. I try not to lie to them and I also try to be realistic. However, if I did say "in a minute" and I forget I do stop what I'm doing and honor them what I somewhat promised.

I am far too scatterbrained to drop what I am doing to help my kids' current whim. If I did that, I'd have half-started projects all over the house and would never be able to complete any task No, I do make my kids wait, unless what they need help with is very simple and can be done quickly.

I tell my kids I'll help them after I finish whatever I am doing. If I don't have time after what I am doing I make a time for them later. So I'll say something like... " Emma that sounds like fun and a good project for us to do together. I want to make sure I have the time we need to do that. Let's make a plan for it." And then we figure out a time to do it. If she can do something to prepare for when we are going to work on the project I get her busy to do that.

I think it' is important to make the time for this kind of stuff. It's great 1:1 bonding time and so sweet that they like to still spend time with us. (That doesn't last much longer...) However, I don't think kids should get used to us or anyone dropping everything the minute they want/need something.
If you don't make time at some point though, they just stop asking, knowing that you'll always be "too busy."
Just my 2 cents~ Good luck!

I so get that and have to balance even my husband's needs in there. My LO is a toddler, so the environment won't be the same as with your 7yo. My 17mo plays well independently, but occasionally he will bring a book to me while I am working on something. I have to consider his perspective. Has he been playing on his own for a while or hanging with Daddy and now really wants attention from Mommy? In that case, I stop and give him some attention. I pick him up and give him a hug and kiss, and sometimes, that's all it takes. If it's that important to him that I read the book, I go ahead. I have his favorites memorized, so I can move more quickly. I find that he responds well to explanation, and I think that that builds trust. I tell him what I'm doing and talk to him about it...ask him what he thinks. Lol.

We're human, and in some moments our "work" will feel most important. In these times, don't underestimate the power of a moment of intense eye contact and maybe a squeeze and a kiss, because sometimes they do just want to know that they have our attention for a little while. Mine is still little enough that he can get that satisfaction if I call out his name and just talk or sing to him periodically. He responds and carries on with his "work".

I try to tell him I will help him at a logical stopping point in what I am doing. I try really hard to come up with some things he can do himself - eg. 'why don't you clean off your work table and get your construction paper, scissors and glue ready?'

I tell her to wait til I'm at a stopping point. If you forget, ask her to bring a kitchen timer to you and set it for 30 minutes or whatever and when it goes off, help her out for a bit. If you can only allot her an hour, then use the timer for that, too, and go back to your work when she's had a bit of your time. If you are doing something where she can help you out and get what she needs, try that. When I am working and otherwise logged in, DD can do play dough on a table next to me and quickly show me her creations. If your DD got the box, could you supervise the picture choosing while you sort the closet?

No, I wouldn't stop immediately. There's nothing appropriate in giving in to a child's desire for immediate gratification. They learn more by waiting until someone else finishes the task/conversation they're in the middle of before addressing the child's needs/wants unless it's an emergency situation.

Just make sure that you remember to get the supplies she would need when you finish the task.

I just figure that the bathroom can wait.

My house is not perfect - but my son remembers us doing things together all the time. I will have time to clean and scrub everything to perfection when he goes to college in two years. I will still let the bathroom wait and go play a game of Monopoly or watch a video with him any time.

Just me.

I don't stop. I continue to finish my work, but talk to her explaining I'm in the middle of something, and would she mind waiting for 5 min until I finish it?
Since she is only 20 mos old, I sort of keep talking to her, to let her know that I'm not ignoring her, but I need to finish what I'm doing.
Sometimes, she keeps whining, but most times, she understands, and just stands there watching me and talking to me.

I just took a little break from reorganizing my kids craft area. I just got done labeling everything so it's easier for the kids to find and put away all the stuff. Perhaps you can make this a fun little project for your daughter. Go to the store to get a few bins, label them, fill them & voila it's done. She's old enough to do it all by herself.

I wouldnt stop immediately, but I would let her know you are going to make some timet for the project.... and maybe take a few minutes to do something simple to help her prepare for when the picture box does come out of the closet.

I make a game plan for when we can do said task....so yes, I have her wait....but I am sure to get everything ready and waiting in a reasonable amount of time after she has put in her request. I have a very good memory and not a lot of things get past me!

I finish what I'm doing, get her supplies and have her start on something she can do without me. Then I will toggle back and forth between helping her and doing what I need to do.

We recently had to build a California Mission and this is how I went about it. It worked pretty well, but my GD is 9 so she could do quite a bit without me. I really just needed to help her measure things and maybe hold while she glued, etc.