Utilizing child labor

My parents-in-law will be spending all of Passover with us this year. At their last visit, dad-in-law said that the futon that he uses is no longer comfortable. It's pretty low to the floor, and the mattress is getting too soft and thin for sleeping comfort. So I finally got a new futon yesterday. It's a big wooden one that's sold at BJs.

I got everything inside our house, and since it was getting late, I told the girls that I would install it after they went to bed, and they'd see what it looks like when they come down for breakfast the next day. Tikvah would have none of it. "I want to see how it goes together!!" Ahava is at the echo stage, "Yeah, see how it go together daddy!" *sigh* All right.

So I start to put it together, and of course the girls want to help. "Here Daddy, I'll hold this!!" Ummm, no, you need to hold it lower, lower. You know what, it's easier if it's on the floor." "Thank you, but I don't really need this screw driver now." Etc. Then of course Ahava grabs a book (she loves to look at the pictures) and sits right in the middle of the futon frame where I'm trying to attach all the bolts. "Ummm, sweetie, can you sit down over there? Thank you so much."

But don't get the idea that they were of no help. Tikvah sometimes got me the right parts when I needed them, and together with mom, we all lifted the second part of the frame onto the first. (that's what the directions said to do anyway. And they were so eager to grab onto the mattress and help us to get it onto the frame.

At that point, it was almost an hour past their bed time. They went up with with very little protest.

Altogether I'd say having them help me out only set me back about 15-20 minutes. But they were well worth it.