My toddler Jacob loves anything that comes with a stick attached to it, including plain old sticks themselves. Because he is a toddler and they are sticks – I think it’s a pretty universal trait, isn’t it? This love of extends to objects like brooms, mops and shovels.
Unfortunately, the love of stick-like objects isn’t always convenient. Jacob has taken a particular shine to our snow shovel, which lives right inside the entrance to our garage. You know, for easy access in case of snow. However, easy access for me also means easy access for my kid.
Ironically, there isn’t even any actual snow to shovel. Vancouver has had an unusually mild winter, and as we like to point out you don’t have to shovel rain. I have explained this to Jacob, but he remains unconvinced. He resolutely shovels our bare driveway every chance he gets.
I should probably just move the snow shovel. But a part of me is convinced that having snow removal equipment ready is preventing the snow from falling. As soon as I let my guard down and store the salt and the shovel, we’ll get 6 inches of the white stuff and all my neighbours will glare at me as they shovel their own driveways. And so every time I open the garage I get to wrestle Jacob away from the snow shovel.
He’s just lucky he’s cute, this little shoveling man of mine. Because honestly, taking 5 minutes out of every trip to fight with a toddler bent on shoveling isn’t fun. I am totally lame that way. Also, conventional and stubborn in my refusal to think outside the box. Jacob isn’t so conventional, and he has the pirate hat to prove it.
(OK, the pirate photo isn’t really on topic, but I couldn’t resist it.)
What objects has your toddlers taken a shine to, good or bad? Share your stories of kid cuteness or exasperation, that I may know I am not the only one whose kid shovels snow that isn’t there.
Wesley is the same, only all sticks transform into swords, arrows or lances … I'm always wrestling the broom away from him, because he likes to run around with his "lance" bashing everything around.
My son loves our broom, carries it around the house. If I am sweeping, he thinks it is the coolest thing ever. I want to get him a toy broom his own size, but I think the appeal is the size of the “Adult” one. Now if I could just get him to sweep up after himself……
We bought him a tiny shovel for the winter since he loved out massive yellow things (we get a lot of snow here, so we have massive shovels for our 60′ driveway), but he hasn’t gotten the “thumbs” thing with his mittens yet so he has a hard time holding it outside when we are shovelling the driveway. Next year!
He also loves his small green chair we bought for by the door, to sit and get dressed for outside. He pushes it everywhere, sometimes with a lucky stuffed animal who gets a thrill ride! We trip over it constantly, he always has to have it with him.
.-= Caroline´s last post ..Where I’ve Been – Part 7 1/2 =-.
The favorite toy in our house is the popcorn popper thingy. At daycare it’s the toy vacuum. Although he’ll even play with a back scratcher and turn it into something that he can push on the floor. You can see part of this back scratcher in my recent post.
.-= Sara´s last post ..Show Mummy your teeth! =-.
Angus loved sweeping. And mopping, and vaccuuming. And garbage (‘bobbage’). We never had to put anything in the bobbage ourselves the whole year he was two. Once I was trying to clean up the kitchen after he went to bed. Matt came down from his room and said ‘I’m sorry. You have to stop. He thinks we’re having a vacuum party and playing with garbage’. Now I’m homesick for two-year-old Angus. I can’t possibly go work out in this state.
.-= allison´s last post ..****************Wordless Wednesdays: Charmed, I’m Sure =-.
Your son is so cute!
My kids both loved our Swiffer that it was so difficult to do chores unless I gave them something to “help” me with. I guess at that age they just think you are “playing” and want to “play” too.
fear not, i’ll send some over. We’ve got the dratted stuff coming out of our ears!
.-= Heather´s last post ..My First Naked Party =-.
buttons and switches…. terribly inconvenient when the toddler INSISTS on pushing or flipping every switch/button we go by. No matter what it is for, or what building we are in. The straining for the switch from the backback…followed by the panicked 4-limb thrash and the loud whining “lie-ON! lie-OFF!!!!” Not great for my back, and the panicking usually involved hair-grabbing too. Incidentally, this became less of a problem — for my back especially — when we switched to a stroller (less switches to be seen at that height!)
.-= *pol´s last post ..THANK YOU!!!! =-.
how you can take away the shovel when he is clearly having the time of his life?
buttons and string and sticks, and spiderman action figures and lego people and coins. bascially a whole lot of things that probably aren’t the best for a 3 yr old to play with.
and i would love to send you some snow, as the jellybean spends hours eating it. and it’s not so fluffy and white anymore.
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Don’t take away his shovel. When he is older and there really is snow…you will want him to want to shovel your drive way and sidewalk!
And here, I can sweep the snow away and don’t have to shovel it, unless it is heavey snow full of water!
.-= Heather´s last post ..Needs More Input Johnny Number 5 =-.
It has to be toddler thing, because Ari (my almost 2 year old) LOVES shoveling, despite the presence of anything TO shovel. Although, he goes bonkers when there is actual snow!
http://www.oldschoolnewschoolmom.com/2010/02/best-snow-shoveler-i-know.html
Jacob is so cute! I love the pirate photo!
.-= Old School/New School Mom´s last post ..Teaching Colors to a Color-Indifferent Toddler =-.
Water. He loves water. I have actually been meaning to write about this. Maybe I will now.
That kid sure is lucky he’s cute. And that he has such a sweet smile.
.-= Capital Mom´s last post ..The two of them =-.
Brooms, of course. Rocks. Sticks. Leaves. Dirt. Anything that they can bring in from outside. My 3 year old also likes to pull the strings out of my blankets and pillows and runs around with those. Yes, they’re now falling apart. It’s just as lovely as you can imagine. My daughter also has a thing for packets of ketchup/mustard/soy sauce, which she likes to steal out of the refrigerator whenever it’s opened.
.-= C @ Kid Things´s last post ..Thank God for Google =-.
The grimy dust pan and broom that was left behind here by the last occupant. I keep putting it out on the balcony, and it keeps finding its way back in. It’s mysterious that way. The dust mop and vacuum cleaners also make frequent journeys to random places.
We’re in the phase where Mikko has to do everything himself, so everything takes a gazillion years (ie, 3 minutes) longer. If I get keys out, he has to unlock something. If we’re getting in the car seat, he has to buckle the belt. So I understand the frustration of waiting around, all.the.time. Glad I’m not the only one! Keep shoveling that rain!
.-= Lauren @ Hobo Mama´s last post ..He won’t make a good tightrope walker =-.
Okay – him holding the shovel is just about the cutest thing ever. This is how Julesy is with brooms. OHMYGOD if there’s a broom within a 100 mile radius, the child INSISTS on playing with it. Actually, I shouldn’t complain. This could work out for me!
.-= TheFeministBreeder´s last post ..VBAC Access is a Human Rights Issue =-.
Em is ALL about our broom. It must be the real full size broom though and not the toy broom I bought. Kids.
.-= Marilyn @ A Lot of Loves´s last post ..In Which I Find a Benefit to Being Single =-.
It’s all good practice. It’s called “educational play”: in a couple of years, he’ll be shoveling snow for you, while you just sit with your pirate hat on:)
.-= Francesca´s last post ..Coloring with black =-.
The love of all things stick . . . that was totally Q-ster. The year he was almost two, he was clutching a broom and mop in our family Christmas card photo.
At least if it does snow, Jacob has it covered.
.-= Lady M´s last post ..Five Years =-.