The other day our son had found himself a task to work on and he was making certain it was going to get done. Mom had ordered a large amount of canned beans that came in boxes (not in bags) and were stacked in the bottom of our pantry. Luckily, our son was readily able to reach these items that were placed on the floor. Mom and I sat on the couch reading and all of the sudden we heard a clinking sound to our left. On the little step that leads down into our kitchen we caught the briefest sight of our diaper-adorned son walking out of view. He had left a can of beans on the step.
We didn’t want to look away so we waited for his return. Sure enough he soon came into view carrying another can of beans and carefully placing it next to the first. As soon as the can clanked on the tile floor he departed once again to go get another can. We continued to watch. All told he brought out about twelve cans before he noticed us watching him. Once Mom brought out the camera he was more than happy to pose for pictures (and ended up forgetting about the important task he had started). Perhaps this is a new stage in his development. After this incident we’ve been more keenly aware of times when he fixes his attentions on something resembling a task (not something that is necessarily obviously useful like us adults pretend our tasks are). Whether it is blocks, or clothes (dirty or clean), or books or anything else where there are many of the same (or similar objects) that can be treated, one after another, in a similar way. Move this book here. Move another book here. Move a third book here. Our son is learning something amazing. We’re glad he hasn’t started climbing bookshelves yet!