So very excited about a slightly unlikely birthday present for my not so little boy

After being overrun with wool play food after the in-laws came to visit - seriously overrun here and it's becoming a bit stressful for the kids because it takes so very long to pick everything up even though we try to tidy things up a couple of times a day - I found myself a bit less than thrilled with the prospect of J's birthday.  My mother-in-law ended up giving J cash which was a bit of a relief because we could control the mix of things a bit and hopefully prevent any more frustration.  So far we've used it for a number of fairly random things like a big fuzzy blanket for J to use under his playstands and on his bed, several pairs of jeans since he hadn't nary a pair without holes in the knees, and some squishy yarn for a new hat and scarf.

Even after all of that there was still a bit of money left plus the money I had set aside for Hubby and I to get J a birthday present.  I've really be struggling with just what to get him.  Part of me really wanted to get him some neat toys, but I already know there's some stress over the existing quantity (too much of a good thing).  I was also feeling a little bit resentful of the in-laws.  I realize they live quite a distance away, but I was feeling like they ruined things for us with the shear quantity of things they give J and L for Christmas and L's birthday.  What was there left for us, J's parents, to buy?

Of course I'm also struggling with why we have to buy something at all.  This present thing can be fun in the short-term, but I wasn't really willing to deal with the aftermath of the short-term fun.  That's when it hit me...what about a present that would be a bit on the practical side?  Both Waldorf and Montessori educational philosophies encourage children to play a role in the day to day activities of the home.  I admit when I first did some reading into things I was a bit skeptical, but I have to admit both J and L are very interested in helping out.  More often than not, if given the choice, they will elect to help me over playing on their own with their toys.  Sometimes having them help is actually helpful and other times it's a test in my patience.

So with the rest of the birthday gift funds for J I came up with a somewhat unlikely present that will get a great deal of use - his very own child-sized cleaning kit.  A bit odd, right?  I still struggle with that a bit myself since it seems to fly in the face of everything our culture values for children and their toys.  Still, he really does want to help and the adult sized items we already have are a bit unwieldy for him.  There are some Montessori websites out there that focus on these sorts of things specifically, but wanting to spread what we have a bit further I decided to check out our local Target.  I was able to find the majority of the items I saw on the Montessori websites like the:

• Evercare Angle Broom - it's a much smaller head than your standard broom and comes with an adjustable handle.  It caught my eye right away on the shelf because at it's most compact it's the perfect length for J.
• A squeege (a bit like this one) - we already own a shower squeegee which both J and L have taken a liking to, but again it's a bit on the large size.  This one's smaller and combined with a spray bottle (kind of like this one, but the 5oz "Swoosh Sprayer" to limit the amount of water available) will make a perfect window washing kit.  What's not to love about spraying water on a window, patio door, or mirror and squeegee-ing it off?
• A scrubbie sponge, microfiber cloth, and cotton rags - the first two were from the dollar section and the last one is leftover from the birth kit.  Oodles of ways to use these including window washing or cleaning up your own spills.  J saw the sponges and thought they were "really cool!"
• Evercare Mini Dustpan & Brush Set (kind of like this one) - Combine this with the child sized broom and I think J will appreciate being able to help sweep the kitchen floor even more.  As an added bonus it's just the right size for cleaning up crumbs off the table.
• A shower caddy - it's a bit on the cheap side, but it's the perfect size for all if the above (minus the broom of course).

We're going to add to these items a carpet sweeper, lambswool duster, and a few basic yet decent quality tools (a bit like the ones found here although probably not as many) that can be used to help Hubby with repairs around the house or other creative projects.  Time will tell how any of it does over the long run, but I'm hopeful never-the-less.