Hidden Opportunities are There!

     The concept of "Affordable Mistakes" is to lovingly let our kids try things that we know they might fail at.  I used to think these were supposed to be BIG things like riding a bike, playing a sport or learning a musical instrument.  Was I ever wrong!  
    We often don't see the hidden gems for affordable misstakes waiting for us to discover them; they are simple and our kids can recover from them even if they "fail".  What is hiding in plain sight in your home?  
 
Younger Kids (Toddler/Preschool):  

• Can they pour their milk?  Can they get out their own cups?  Utensils?  Set the table?
• Can they serve themselves their food?  Can they pour cereal from a box?
• Can they choose clothes appropriate for the weather?
• Who is picking up their toys?  Do they know where toys go?  
• Can they wash their ears? Scrub their hair?  Pour out the right amount of soap to wash their hair?
• Who takes out the garbage?  Can they get a new bag to replace the old one?

Elementary Kids:

• Who is cleaning up plates after a meal?  Washing the counters?  Loading the dishwasher?
• Can they make their breakfast or pack their lunch? Can they unpack their lunch bag?
• Who is waking them up in the morning?
• Who is planning their homework?  Do they decide what needs to be done and when?  

Middle and High School Kids:

• Who is doing their laundry?  Can they sort and fold?  Do they know how to separate colors or why they need to be separated? 
• Can they cook their own dinner?  Can they make mac-n-cheese?  Caesar salad? A burrito?
• Can they change their beds and towels?  Clean the bathroom?  How often do they need cleaning?
• Who handles the money for all their tutoring and lessons?  Do they write the checks or do you?

As you can imagine, the list of possibilities is endless!