2007 Goal Update

I wrote about my goal for 2007 being to connect more with my daughter through chores done together.  So far, this is going well! 

To start, I kept my eyes open for an opportunity.  It's not logistically possible for L to do everything with me, or me with her.  But I found an opening with my laundry chore.  I have to do 1-2 loads of laundry per day to keep the dirty clothes from taking over.  During the day I wash and dry the clothes and when they are done, I just pile them on my bed until I can get to them after dinner.  So now instead of L disappearing into her room to play with her dollhouse, she comes with me to fold laundry.  We have been having a great time together!  It has turned into a fun game and today when I told her to come with me so we could take care of the laundry, she said, "YES!"  I never thought I would hear that in response to a chore around here!

The game is this: when I leave the room to go hang up something in a closet, L hides.  When I come back, I have to find her.  So simple, but she loves it, and is she GOOD at hiding!  I keep thinking that there is no way she can find a new place to hide in my closet, but she keeps finding new places!  I have walked right past her many times.  Yesterday she left the room to go put on her sweater, so I hid.  She wasn't expecting that, so when she saw that I was nowhere to be seen, she also hid!  I was hiding behind the bathroom door when I heard her go into the closet.  I could barely contain my laughter, thinking she would find me at any second.  When she took longer than I thought she should have, I couldn't control it anymore, and I laughed out loud and L said, "Come and find me!"  That made me laugh even more, which got her laughing, and we couldn't stop.  So there we were, both in our hiding places, laughing uncontrollably, refusing to leave our spots to look for the other.  It was hilarious.  We both finally left our hiding spots vowing to use them next time we had a chance to hide. 

And yes, we are getting the laundry done!