Out on the briny

It was all laid out for me this morning, nice and clear, nary a blurry area.
Jack had forgotten to cover a book and it was absolutely the last day or he would get a detention.
Although, as usual he stayed in bed until the last possible minute; he then was rushing around for the materials to use. I went upstairs to dress and fifteen minutes later, he still had not finished the job. I sent him to get ready and did it myself. And that's when I realized, (actually I knew something was brewing but didn't put it together it until I was in the car), that the youngest child is often the one that has trouble finishing tasks, completing assignments or closing the deal because someone comes along, either impatient or running out of time, and does the job for them.
I bet that it's not just he youngest or the slowest, but that the person that it directly effects, i.e. the mom, sibling, father, teacher, or friend is compelled by their own momentum to intervene and eventually perpetuating the behavior so it becomes the norm.