My son asked to help me fix the car and didn't complain once
Had my 9 year old out in the garage helping me change the oil and a spark plug. He asked good questions, actually paid attention to what I was showing him, and seemed genuinely interested. When we fired it up and it ran smooth he looked at me like we just accomplished something huge. In a way we did. Those are the moments that stick with you.
Those are the moments you're gonna remember forever. My son is only 6 weeks old and I can't wait for stuff like this. Thanks for the reminder that it's worth all the chaos.
Nine is such a cool age for learning. The fact he didn't complain once means he was genuinely into it. You're doing something right.