Having kid is an awesome experience, but there are challenges when it comes to household management. It means there is at least one more person to make mess, but that person doesn’t participate in the chores. If you are dreaming of the day your children are old enough to help you around the house, cheer up! You can make that day come sooner than you think!
Psychologists encourage you to include your child in cleaning activities appropriate for their age early on. And if you have problems communicating why cleaning is important, here are some tips how to make your arguments hit home.
Make Them Feel They Are Helping You
This is especially important for young children. The key thing here is not whether your child is actually helping you, but whether they believe they are. You can give them some light bags to carry inside when you come back from shopping. Leave them a plate or two to wash. When you are sweeping floors, they can hold the dustpan.
This might sound just like extra work for you, but it’s an investment in the future. Time flies and before you know it they will really be able to help you and they will do it gladly. This way you will also make them want to be clean from a young age.
Make Cleaning Fun
Why don’t you play some music when you are cleaning? Or you can sing together. Another fun activity is to make cleaning a small competition – who will complete the tasks faster and/ or better.
The expectations
Always explain to your child that every activity has three parts: preparation, playtime and clean-up. Clean-up may be the least enjoyable one, but it’s unavoidable. With time, you won’t need to explain to them the necessity of cleaning anymore.
Make yourself a role model
Bear in mind that children imitate what they see. If you want them to have some clean habits, you must demonstrate it to them. For example, after a meal, bring your dishes to the sink and clean the table. If you don’t, your child will most probably do the same.
Set up some incentives
It’s the famous carrot part of the carrot and stick system, but prizes work better that punishments. Think about a system in which your children can accumulate points that will allow them to win a prize like ice-cream or one hour more of TV and games or playing outside. Be reasonable with the incentives, make them appropriate and acceptable to you.
Teaching your children tidy habits is important not just for you, but for their later independent life. These tips are good for everyday clean-up, but your child cannot help you with the most serious housework. And if you have children, you would probably rather spend free time with them rather than scrub the afternoon away. That’s where Maid This! can help you!
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