Have you planted yet? Well, we are in for a cold snap, but seeds should be fine. The rows were made, the seeds were dropped and the first watering took place with my daughter in charge of the hose! Did she really "help" me when she dropped those squash seeds in random places? Of course not. But, to her, it was a huge deal! She talks about planting her garden, so I wanted her to be a part of it. I like to have things cleaned, tidy, organized, efficient, and DONE! This part of me is one I now fight with on a daily basis. No longer should those things be my priority every minute of my day. Are you like me? Do you like to be in control? Well, if so (and if not), a great way to start the process of letting go is to give your child a chance to participate in something without over-managing. Digging in the garden is a great place to do this! (Avoid the rows of already planted goodies though...those are delicate:)
In Part I, we talked about digging and introducing the dirt and seeds to your children. In Part II, my point is to start explaining maintenance. "We keep our new seeds watered. Will you hold the hose for me?" "We also need to learn this is a weed and this is our plant." Haha, Olivia enjoys pulling beautiful new flowers right off the stems at the local nursery! Separating the weeds from the real plant is hard for a toddler to understand, so tell them what to pull. Remember, letting your little one walk beside you is all they want. They want to be included. I am speaking mainly to myself here. It's always easier to just do it yourself; don't do that. Take a couple extra minutes, and share your time with them. It is time well-spent!
Happy Gardening!
