Mom’s Helper

Sometimes, I like to remind people just how smart I am. They don’t always give me enough credit, but trust me, I notice everything.

Today, I was at Mom and Dad’s house. It was Christmas time—my favorite time of year! I love everything about it: the music, going on car rides, seeing my family, eating Mom’s home-cooked meals (blended, of course), and opening my new socks and toys!   However, today, the house felt a little different. I could sense that Mom was stressed.  Dad must have forgotten to do something. Maybe we are having company. I wasn’t really sure, but she was rushing around the kitchen, and cleaning up with a look that said, “Don’t test me right now, Danielle.”

Normally, I keep to myself when grown-ups are busy (unless it's time for a meal- that's a different story). I’ll sit nearby, pretending to play with my toys, and no one asks me to help with chores, which is fine by me but today, I felt bad for Mom. I thought, I don’t have much on my schedule today… maybe I can help her out. No one had to ask me. I made up my mind all on my own and when I decide to do something, there’s no stopping me.

First, I marched over to the cabinet under the sink to grab the dish soap. That’s where Mom and Lovia both keep it—I’ve seen them do it a million times. Then, I grabbed the sink stopper and popped it right into the drain, like I was solving one of my favorite puzzles. It’s just like fitting the giraffe piece into my animal puzzle: easy for someone as smart as me. When I turned around, Mom was watching me. She looked so surprised, her mouth was open like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. I acted casual, but I love when people are impressed with me. I had work to do! I turned on the water faucet, squeezed in a lot of soap (at this point, all I wanted was a bath but I had to stay focused), and let the sink fill up. Next, I started to load in the dirty dishes.

I could feel Mom’s eyes on me the entire time, so I made sure to do it right. I started with the forks and spoons, because Mom says you always do the silverware first. I wasn’t about to mess this up.  “Danielle, look at you!” Mom said, her voice all bright and happy. “You’re doing such a good job!”

Now, if you know me, you know I love compliments. They’re my favorite thing in the whole world, right up there with boat rides and ice cream. Hearing Mom say I was doing a good job made me feel like the smartest, most special person in the world!