Easy Ways To Tackle Housekeeping With Kids by Guest Blogger Zowie Ashton

House maintenance is a full-time job. You may be spending long hours at the office but the domestic chores are always on your to-do list. Trying to keep a home clean while the children are growing up is even harder. It costs you tremendous efforts to get everything in order and it costs them just one move to create a huge mess. Instead of making children part of the problem, why not make them part of the solution? Regardless of their age, every child can do domestic chores. It is always a great idea to involve your kids in house maintenance. This is beneficial not only for you, but for them as well. Presented in an appropriate manner, cleaning can be a great educational activity.

Teach your children to clean while they are still young
The sooner you involve your kids in housework the better. Toddlers and small children are easy to trick, while making a teenager clean their room for the first time can be a task with great difficulty for every parent. Yet, don’t get discouraged if you have missed teaching your child to clean earlier. With the right approach, you can turn the situation around. One of the ways to involve your child in housekeeping is to be a good example. Whether it be a toddler or a child, often, sooner or later they will follow your steps.

Schedule regular cleaning sessions and make a cleaning plan in advance
Take your time and create a comprehensive list of the cleaning duties to be covered. Prepare the necessary arsenal and distribute the chores to your kids. Some children are curious and easily get used to new activities.  Others dislike such family responsibilities. If you meet any resistance, let your fancy roam and come up with an amusing cleaning game or a good stimulation.

Keep the cleaning session easy and short
It is very important to give your kids small and easy tasks in the beginning. Increase the difficulty only when they get used to doing the current chores. In this way, the children will get a sense of accomplishment, which will stimulate them to continue participating in house cleaning maintenance. Moreover, short cleaning sessions ensure that kids stay focused. We all know how difficult is to make a child doing one thing for hours!

Make some improvements in your house to stimulate the kids to keep everything in order
Start with decluttering. The fewer objects and unnecessary things you have at home, the smaller the possibility for a mess. Throw away everything that doesn’t serve you and the other members of your family any purpose. You will be really happy to see how much free space you’ve created. Let every object, item and gadget have its own place. In this way, your kids will put any used things back in the cupboards, drawers, etc. Another idea is to place the laundry basket close to the bedrooms. Seeing it will stimulate your children to put their dirty clothes inside, instead of just throwing them on the floor.

Have realistic expectations
Last but not least, I advise you to revise your definition of a clean house! Having kids means putting up with certain things and the condition of your home is one of them. Instead of getting angry that it is not always organised, do your best to teach your children about cleaning. Don’t forget they are also doing their best to help you. Be patient, even if your kids are not getting on very fast.