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How to Nurture the Helpful Spirit

My son loves to help.  Help do the dishes.  Help sweep the parking lot (together we keep our apartment complex clean).  Help clean the laundry room.  Help make the bed.  Help cook breakfast. It is all of these helpful events that make my to do list not get completed in a timely manner, or at all for that matter.  The dishes turns into washing the floor with all the water that gets displaced, I guess that checks one thing of the list.  Sweeping the parking lot means that I end up sweeping together all of my piles twice as my little 'helper' comes behind and does his own sweeping.  Cleaning the laundry room entails wiping off shoe prints from on top of the machines, since climbing to the top of them is what he finds to be the most helpful.  Cooking breakfast means uncooked oatmeal on the counter as he tries to pour it into the pot.

I love the spirit behind the actions and strive to find a way to not get frustrated with his helpful acts.  When completing daily chores that I know my son enjoys being involved in I try to not have a time schedule in mind.  It is only when I need to get things done quickly, or in some cases actually get things clean, that I find myself getting testy with my helper.  I get creative with the chore and find a way that Conrad can truly be helpful.  I have taught him how to hold the dustpan as I sweep up my piles, he gets to start the dishwasher once it is full, and, well, making the bed always seems to turn into a pillow fight.  When it comes to cooking I have found that a butter knife is the best way to allow him to cut up the veggies for dinner. 
Praise seems to be the key.  I guide him through a task with encouragement, pointing out and explanation how to do a job correctly and thanking him for his help.  Don't get to caught up with my angelic little helper, he has learned the hard way that some things just have to get done.  As he has grown, and we continue to put off potty training, it is Conrad's responsibility to throw away his dirty diapers.  This is a task that he does not enjoy but has learned to do when asked.  Picking up the toys in his room is another job that is not on the top of his fun list but again, Conrad knows to obey when asked.
Coming alongside your kids and showing them through example is another way that I have found teaches good work skills.  I remember growing up and being involved in delivering newspapers through neighborhoods, working at a food co-op and helping watch day care kids.  All of these jobs were done alongside my parents and siblings and I have no sense that they were chores.  They were made fun with my parents creativity.  I also sensed that we had to do these things because we were part of the family.
I continue to work on passing that same work ethic onto my son and nurturing his helpful spirit so that he grows into a man that is helpful to others and obeys the calling of God in his life.