Children learn by copying us, that includes teachers, the TV, the things we don’t say and our behaviours. (And because of this I now I get why I should say sherbet instead of %$# around these little people…oops)
She has seen me during high-stress times where I’ve modeled some terrible behavior, and I’ve gone back to apologize or use my words to give her context to mama’s distress.
Learning is a two-way street. What I am talking about are the epiphanies we’re constantly getting from observing little ones innocently tackling or taking apart a new situation in such a way that it’s both simple and profound. Sometimes these moments reveal us to ourselves as they emulate us.
Other times it’s totally opposite and refreshing. I often find myself saying- I wish I could just figure things out like THAT, and move on.
I used to want to keep her out of my space, for fear of distraction, safety (I work with sharp objects), and out of habit, habit taught me children and work must stay far away from each other at all times. But with time I worried she’d resent the line “mama has to work now, don’t disturb”. So slowly I let her join me and gave her tasks.
There’s a shift when we allow our children into our everyday activities, where they observe and learn, ask a lot of questions and develop their own momentum, values and behaviors in that environment.
Since I work from home (like many others currently), my daughter gets to see me at work all the time. She is so used to it now that for the most part she just found herself a position and delegates herself her own tasks. The bottom line is she knows that it’s very important work “we’re” doing.
She has begun to understand work ethic. Although she doesn’t yet fully understand my why- sometimes she just has to wait or keep herself busy, right next to me if she likes (it doesn’t last long but I see her trying).
Part-time Model 
Fabric Rinsing
When I ask her what she got up to at school, she’s sure to mention that she did “a very important work”, in between playing, eating and napping ofcourse.
What I love about allowing her in my workspace is that it has taught me to relax, that thing can always be fixed (when she’s not around). But the impression I leave her with around “mama has work to do”, is an everlasting one and I want it to be as positive as I can make it.
Anyhow, this was a little helpers appreciation post, because I’m constantly learning new perspectives around here.