Ten Ways Bigs Help Littles {and Mom} ~ Big Family Idea Bonanza Series

We’re five posts into this series, and it’s time for some honesty. Sometimes, mothering a big family can be overwhelming.

With two children, we still had one-on-one defensive parenting. With three children, if one parent could handle two and one parent could handle the other, we were all right. But with four and up? We knew we were outnumbered.

When I think back on it, though, I remember, as a young mother, feeling pretty overwhelmed when my husband went to work and left me with two children. I had no idea how I was going to care for them all day long! A Big helping a Little (no matter what the age difference!) can be helpful at any stage and with any number of children. There is absolutely no reason or need for Mom to do everything.

Harness the bossiness of your first born. Use it to your advantage while also guiding and nurturing her spirit of leadership and helping her learn to control it. This sounds harsher than it is. J But, helping each other encourages a servant heart. “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” {Philippians 2:4} And, it’s another opportunity to learn obedience to parents. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” {Ephesians 6:1}

For some tasks, I simply instruct, “Bigs help Littles!” This hasn’t happened overnight. It has taken some instruction and discipline to get to this point.

In other situations, I choose a nearby and available Big, say the child’s name, and give the instruction.

Here are ten situations in which our Bigs help our Littles. {I’m not discussing chores here, just general helpfulness.} There are many more, but I hope this list will get your gears a-going for your own family.

1. Tying shoes.
2. Zipping a coat.
3. Holding a hand in a parking lot.
4. Directing the Littles to pick up.
5. Fixing hair. {I’ll put in a shameless plug here for the Lilla Rose flexi clip. So easy for my thirteen-year-old to fix my seven-year-old’s long hair!}
6. Choosing the Little’s clothes if I haven’t already.
7. Fetching onesies or diapers.
8. Wiping off hands or faces.
9. Washing hands.
10. Staying close to the shopping cart to make sure the toddler doesn’t try to stand up.

As I was finishing this post, my biggest Big wandered in.

“Mom, we do more than that.” J

So, here are a few bonus examples ~

Keeping track of a Little at the playground or the playplace.

Filling a sippy cup.

Filling a snack cup with Cheerios.

Getting the toddlers in their high chairs before a meal.

Snapping on bibs and rolling up sleeves.

Playing with the littlest Littles while I do phonics with the Little who thinks she ought to be a Big.

Reading aloud.

Drawing pictures for the Littles to color.

Playing with Littles so I can finish a blog post or fix supper.

Let them win at musical chairs.

Tuck them in at naptime. {Infrequently, but it has happened.}

Start a DVD.

Training takes time, but the rewards will be worth it.

Do your children help each other? How else can Bigs help Littles?

Other posts in this series ~

Intro

How We Fit Eight in Our {Older} Minivan

How to Fit Multiple Children in a Bedroom

Giving Our Children Private Spaces

Where Does a New Baby Go?

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