I was at the grocery store when I saw two kids standing in the milk section. They were both three feet tall. Their prize–a liter of goat’s milk–was six feet up on the top shelf. “Maybe I should go piggyback you,” said one. “Okay,” said the other.
But instead of piggybacking they just gave each other the Heimlich. That gave a couple more inches of reach. I thought it was adorable.
Intervening and handing them the milk immediately would have been the nicest thing to do, but it wouldn’t be the kindest. No, the kindest response would be to let them sort it out a little longer. Let them learn under a watchful eye.