On the other hand, I like to do pretty much everything by myself. I mean everything. I am a multi-tasker who likes to get things done. Our daughter is four, and I HAVE to let her help me. Be it putting away dishes, putting away clothes or gardening, she wants to help. She is also at an age where she needs to have some chores. Gardening can be an area where she can help out and I don't get too impatient (usually).
Gardening is a great way to involve kids, to teach them responsibility and let them see where their food comes from. Our daughter helped plant the carrots seen below, she helped pick them (actually, I had to dig them out, then handed them to her, but she felt like she picked them), she helped clean them off and bag them up for our refridgerator. The best part of all is that she was so excited for me to clean off a carrot so she could eat it! I let her pick which one she wanted, we cleaned it off, and she loved it. We also made sure to leave some of the baby carrots for our local bunny (who is not very afraid of us anymore, probably because we have been leaving him treats since he was a baby). I know, I know, why am I feeding the animals I am trying to keep out of the garden? He is just so cute!
Ok, enough about the bunny.
If you have kids and plan to garden next year, get them involved from the start! Let them help pick out a vegetable or two as you are planning your garden this winter. Give them a section in the garden that is theirs. Our daughter wanted to grow strawberries in her section this last summer. Though I wanted her to pick something that would produce more, I also wanted her to be excited about what she picked. So strawberries it was!
I know it is the end of the growing season if you live in the midwest, but I wanted to share these thoughts and the picture below of my very happy daughter after our last carrot harvest. I hope it inspires you to think about growing a garden with your little one next year!
"Dirty Hands!"
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