Getting their hands dirty

Anyone who knows me has probably heard me at some point moaning about  being tired, stressed, no money etc but to be frank all those things are worth it when I get to see my children growing up and share things like gardening with them. My daughter was 2 in spring and it has been great involving her likewise, our 8 year old has been out and about in the garden too. 

Amusingly our daughter got given 4 sets of toddler gardening tools from various friends and family for her birthday. I also saw a wheelbarrow very cheap in the supermarket which was the perfect size for her. So armed with her wellies, watering cans, wheelbarrow and assorted gardening tools (she has more than me) she has been out and about in the garden digging with me. In her play area we have put a raised bed and she could be found most summer days digging in her bed and watering plants!

Both children were heavily involved in our harvest - helping to point out, pull up and then pile up the produce in our wheelbarrows, and then helping to wash off the dirt and put them in piles as we prepared to sort them. As the runner bean crop and the soft fruit came in, my daughter and I also made daily trips around the garden picking (and eating) as we went. One of her favourite phrases in the autumn was "One for me, one for Mummy, and save one for Daddy" and "Daddy likes blackberries!"

As for our youngest - well he may not be old enough to get very involved yet but he is a good measuring stick for some of our root veg...