hard working little hands

Sometimes I feel like my 5 year old all over the place and I can't get him to focus on what I am saying or the task at hand. It is so frustrating trying to get him to stop for a moment and listen to directions from beginning  to end and almost impossible to get him to follow through with them on his own. As unfocused as he can be on my agenda, when he is interested in something or has a plan of his own, there is no way you can break his concentration. More and more I see how, not only my five year old, but really all of us have focus and follow through for those things in life that really speak to us. I feel like it is my job as a parent to notice what those things are for my children, and help supply ample amounts of time for them to explore what they love so they have the opportunity to feel that satisfaction that comes from delving deep into a project and working hard. They can see that hard work is fun and I find the best way to show that is by example. My five year old loves working hard on building or fixing projects with Dad and they can work for hours on something with complete concentration and attention to detail. No complaining or getting distracted. And no coercion on our part. The joy of the job and the satisfaction of seeing their efforts being used in our family is all the reward they need. Working side by side with Dad and feeling useful and needed is also a big plus.