Daddy Days: Daddy’s little helper
Young boys like to help their dad. From mowing the grass, to painting, from checking the air in the tires to pruning trees, they are ready and willing to help with anything. Even going on a trip to the home improvement store is a thrill.
Of course, with many young boys helping is often “helping.” So how exactly do you get them involved without hindering the completion of the task? There are many ways. But do not let them hold a hammer.
For starters, being a go-for or holder is a great role to assign. No one runs with more self-importance than a 4-year-old boy sent to get Daddy a paper towel. Letting them hold the flashlight, the wrench or the screws is both helpful and a great way to get them involved as well. However, do not let them hold the hammer.
If you drop small nuts or bolts, those little hands and sharp eyes come in handy as well. They’re a few feet closer to the ground than I am so maybe that explains it, but I’ve been impressed with a 5-year-old boy's ability to spot the smallest piece of hardware dropped into the grass. Also, getting to use the magnetic bar to pick up nails or staples is another thing even the youngest boys can assist with.
With the older boys, help can really be help. Not only are they strong enough to help lift items that are a bit much for one dad, but in the case of my 10- and 11-year-olds they are better at following instructions than I am.
I don’t know if it’s from practicing cooking and baking with Mom, or from following directions to build Legos, but those boys can decipher a how-to building diagram with the appropriate attention to detail to NOT place the parts on backward. Which is precisely what I’m looking for in a building assistant.
It’s surprising how quickly boys grow into helpful young men if you let them. There were times it felt like a very lopsided and futile affair to have a boy “helping” with any of the chores. Then one day I could divide the yard work amongst three of us, it took half as long, and they were demonstrating skills and responsibility I had written off as pipe dreams.
I often forget the bigger skill I’m teaching the boys when they watch me replace a faucet isn’t about DIY plumbing but about how to approach the challenge. Even if you’re successful in repairing the pipes, going off like Ralphie’s dad in "A Christmas Story" when something is dropped on your foot means the boys are likely to vocalize their frustration in a similar manner.
Which is why you shouldn't let the boys hold the hammer.
Harris and his wife live in Pflugerville with their seven children. Please email comments or suggestions for future columns to thoughtsforcaleb@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Daddy Days: Daddy’s little helper
