Little Hands At Work

Everything takes longer when you have little helpers beside you.
Things are messier.
Things need to be explained along the way.
It would be much easier to do the job by yourself.

It would not be half as fun!

Children need to know that they are a part of things.
People who believe that, children should be seen and not heard are missing out on quite a lot.
Children have so much to offer.
Children can teach us a thing or two.

Children need responsibilities.
Age appropriate responsibilities build character.
Children need to learn to take an interest in their home.
Little jobs should be given to them that they are responsible to finish.

My children had small jobs that they needed to do.
They had to fold and put away their laundry and clean their rooms.
They had to put out the trash and bring the trash cans in the next day.
They had to clean their bathroom and dust and vacuum, as well.

Drying the dishes each night gave me time to talk to them one on one.
They would weed the mulch beds and cut the grass when they were older.
They helped my husband carry the deck furniture from the basement.
They shoveled the driveway and walkways when it snowed.

We all lived here in our house.
We all took responsibility for its upkeep.
I remember saying something to one of them, when there was a bit of grumbling.
I’m not here to make you comfortable; I’m here to build your character.

That is true.
What I may have said in exasperation, is really a parenting truth.
There is time enough to be friends with your children when they are grown.
In the meantime, you are the one that God has given the charge to train and nurture them.

I am surprised at how many children do not have chores to do.
Some of them are helpless in the kitchen.
Home is more of a hotel than a place where everyone works together for the good of all.
Perhaps busy schedules prohibit the expectation of chores, but that is sad.

Our fast paced lifestyles have changed the way dinner is experienced.
It is rare that a family sits around the table together.
Someone is running here or there.
Someone is always missing.

Tom Jones owns Haford Hardware, a family-owned hardware store in the small town of Rhayader, Wales. Jones has created holiday ads for the past three years, typically for friends, family and community members, but this year his commercial has caught the eyes and hearts of people around the globe. The touching ad…stars Jones’ 2-year-old son, Arthur. In the two minute commercial, viewers see Arthur rise from his bed, ready to take on a busy day at his hardware store. Throughout the commercial viewers see Arthur tend to his hardware store, sweeping, stocking the shelves and checking customers out at the cash. His parents and grandparents also make a cameo in the touching commercial…He went on to add that “the first year it cost us £7 and last year it didn’t cost anything since I did it all myself. The only thing we spent money on this year was getting permission to use the song in the video, which cost us £100 (approximately $130 USD),” he said of the recording of the 1984 Alphaville hit song “Forever Young,” performed by American singer-songwriter Andrea von Kampen that is the soundtrack for this commercial.
(https://www.moms.com/family-hardware-store-commercial-asks-us-all-to-be-a-kid-this-christmas/)

Tom admitted that he wells up with pride when he sees his son in the video.
Tom’s son, Arthur, helps in the store, in his little two-year-0ld way.
The hardware store is a family business and each person lends a hand.
Tom hopes that this commercial (advert) will encourage people to support small businesses.

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

Age appropriate chores.
Helping.
Learning the importance of work.
Families working together.

This commercial touched my heart.
If I lived in Wales, I would shop at Haford Hardware.
We can bring the spirit of this commercial into our homes and lives.
We can be counter cultural and go back to simpler times.

Take a deep breath.
Cross out some things on your to-do list that are really not that important.
Work together for the good of all.
Embrace the imperfections when little hands are doing the work.

Remember what it was like to be a child.

2 responses to “Little Hands At Work”

1. What a sweet video! How many parents in this country would let their youngster do all these things in their store? I especially loved the package wrapping! Thanks for posting–we need reminders of life without i-phones and computers!

   Reply

   • Sue,
     This commercial touched my heart.
     Simpler times.
     Innocence.
     Gina

     Reply