Daily routines as an adult can sometimes be boring and well…routine.
I have recently turned my everyday routine into something I can use teach my son Caleb what adult responsibility looks like. This has reenergized me and also given me insight into how my son perceives what I do each day vs. what I actually do…which leads to tons of great conversations and bonding moments.
Life Lesson #1: What Mom Does at Work All Day
Let’s start at work. Dress them up a little bit and give them the FULL experience. If you or your husband work outside of the house, this is a great opportunity to bring your kiddo along and give them a couple of small tasks, such as cleaning the whiteboards or wiping down tables!
I brought Caleb to my office and showed him examples of what I do each day. I showed him how to set up for meetings (placing notepads on the desks with pens), pushing in chairs, answering phones, leading meetings, taking notes, and cleaning up. I gave him a tour and explained what each person does at work and how important each role is to a company. Caleb was absolutely fascinated by this; I wished I had brought him sooner to experience a busy and buzzing environment. He felt very special to be there.
Life Lesson #2: Serving Others & Putting Them First
I am huge on treating people how YOU would like to be treated, and there is no better way than putting your child in the role of customer service! Oh boy, so many lessons to be learned here.
Example: Starting his little hot chocolate business was a huge lesson in how to interact with customers.
Caleb learned customer service first hand by juggling multiple customers. There were times where he felt frustrated and overwhelmed because his little business did not go “as planned.” He grew tired of serving others. He couldn’t believe how the quality control of each cup changed from customer to customer: hot water wasn’t hot enough, customers didn’t know how to read his menu, etc. The lesson here for Caleb is to be patient, and think about the customer first! We have lots of room to grow here. Though the hot chocolate stand was very fun, there was so much responsibility included. I believe this was such a great way for Caleb to appreciate what we take for granted when we visit stores and restaurants.
Life Lesson #3: Keep Your Body Strong
A great stress reliever from a long day at work for me has been exercise. I went out of my way to make sure I brought Caleb with me to the gym and we talked through how important it is to take care of our bodies. Caleb loves being active so this was right up his alley!
Life Lesson #4: How to Feed Yourself
Since I spend tons of time in the kitchen, Caleb is naturally curious about cooking and is fairly familiar with what does what in the kitchen. I let him pick a recipe to follow and we spent time talking through how much time goes into planning meals for a family. This is always a special time spent in the kitchen and I definitely want to make this routine part of the life lessons I am passing along to him.
I have always been so excited to teach Caleb new things and how to relate to me. I have loved being the one he looks up to and admires. From his first steps to teaching him how to tie his shoes, I’m taking pictures along the way for every little milestone.
I am so thankful now that Caleb is nine, and in third grade—he is so interested in how the world works and this was such a great way to embrace the everyday tasks and include him. He is more curious than ever on day to day life, and piecing it all together has really made this rewarding. I reflect on my life, my daily activities, and this has inspired me to work even harder to show Caleb what an adult routine is like and how things go in the working world. Perspective has given Caleb and me even more bonding moments!
