Children like to help their parents with things around the house from a very young age. I know that most of them outgrow this urge to do things, so I say that parents should enjoy it while it lasts. The thing about small children is that there are only so many things that they can do, but they can help in small ways that might just save a little time and will give them a huge sense of accomplishment. One thing that smaller children can do is to help set table before meals.
There are some things that small children should never handle. If you are going to set table with china or any other type of breakable dishware, it is best to keep them away from it. However, not everyone uses this type of stuff for lunch, so that might be the best time to allow them to help. If you have plastic plates and cups, they can help set table settings. They can also help put down placemats and the silverware with close supervision.
If you don’t like the idea of plastic items to set table settings with, you should have another look in the store. There are some great plastic sets out there. They aren’t great for a formal dinner by any means, but they work well for lunches and picnics. They look great as long as they are taken care of properly. Most of the time this type of set table settings are not strong enough for the microwave or the dishwasher. They are however, very easy to wash otherwise. They won’t warp or melt if they are cared for as directed on the package.
After a while, you will want to let the kids set table with the good stuff so they learn how to handle it. Don’t do this until you think their motor skills are up to par, but it is good to let them do something that seems more grown up, and that would include the breakable set table service. They will need a lot of supervision at first, but they will love that they can help, and they will get old enough to do it on their own. Not only will this give them a sense of accomplishment, it allows them to feel that they are part of the family and that they are helping with things that are normally only for adults.
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