When my kids were little there was always SO much to do. Of course, they wanted me to play with them. I had to get creative to accomplish both at the same time.
I would fold the laundry and instruct my daughter to go and get her doll stroller. I loaded the stacks of clean clothes into the baby buggy and talk her she was the delivery person. (sometimes I even gave her a cool hat to wear) She delivered the clothes to each respective room and laid them gently on the bed. FUN!
When the dishwasher needed unloading I would exclaim, "WHO WANTS TO DO THE SILVERWARE PUZZLE?!" I would stand them on a chair with the silverware holder on the counter and tell them to match the ones in the basket with the ones in the drawer.
As the older kids grew out of this little game, there was always another younger one to find this an amazingly fun thing.
That is until the youngest child......... She was stuck. As a teenager I will ask her to unload the dishwasher and she will reply, " Okay, everything but the SILVERWARE!" She rolls her eyes at my trickery.
So the other day I am at my oldest son's house. He is unloading the dishwasher and asks my grandson to put his cups and bowls in his cabinet. When my son grabs the silverware holder, my grandson lets out a scream. "NO NO NO! I want to do it! I want to do the silverware puzzle!"
My son raises his eyebrow at me. I smile. I can't wait to tell my youngest daughter that I have found her replacement.