Cleaning with Kids can be fun! I just make sure that their chores are age-appropriate, so they don’t feel frustrated or overwhelmed by their tasks. ~ This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CleanForTheHolidays #CollectiveBias ~
When my children were younger, I spent most of my days cleaning up the messes that they left behind. I wasn’t entirely sure at what age they would become “able” to pick up after themselves (with my assistance.) I would ask them for help cleaning up and would be met with a firm “no.” I wrongly assumed that “no” meant “can’t.” And I continued to clean up their messes, big and small.
Soon after my daughter started nursery school, I visited her classroom for her birthday. We sang Happy Birthday, ate cupcakes and I was invited to stay for some of her playtime. As I was getting ready to leave, her teacher began singing the “Clean up” song.
Clean up, clean up
Everybody, everywhere
Clean up, clean up
Everybody do your share
I was amazed by what I saw. There was my sweet four year old daughter, dutifully picking up toys from every corner of the play rug. She looked so determined as she tried to remember in which bin the toys went. When she was done, she was beaming with pride and told me she helped clean up! I was amazed. Apparently, my theory of “no” meaning “can’t” was all wrong!
I quickly borrowed that little ditty and began singing it at home. I helped her, she helped me and her little brother quickly began pitching in too. It was an important moment in parenting for me. I realized I was completely underestimating my children!
As my children get a little older, I have been encouraging them to be more responsible and independent. I feel that it is important for them to help each other and take responsibility for their individual and combined messes. By being aware of their skill level and maturity I can easily tailor chore lists to their abilities. Cleaning with Kids can be fun! I just make sure that their chores are age-appropriate, so they don’t feel frustrated or overwhelmed by their tasks.
My daughter is older and a bit more dexterous than her younger brother, so I have given her chores that require a certain amount of eye/hand coordination.
- Dusting.
- Making her bed.
- Feeding the cat.
For my son who loves throwing himself into chores:
- Mopping and sweeping.
- Taking out the garbage.
- Cleaning up his toys.
One of the chores that my children love to do, is mopping our hardwood floors. We have an O-Cedar ProMist that has a trigger on the handle that allows them to spray my homemade floor solution all over the floors. They love spraying and mopping with the O-Cedar® microfiber spray mop. I have to admit, it is a lot of fun to use. They usually tire out by the time it’s time for our kitchen floor to be cleaned. That’s when I get to have the O-Cedar to myself!
I love that it has a washable microfiber pad that I can throw in the wash after I tackle really big jobs like muddy floors. I don’t use commercial cleaning solutions on my floors, I like to stick to my mom’s floor cleaning solution; vinegar and water. With the one-touch bottle release I can quickly and easily refill the mop as soon as I run out of solution. Having two kids obsessed with the spray feature has me running out of solution faster than you would think!
Not every chore involves a fun mop, so I created a chore chart with a reward system to keep them motivated. Each week they have their set amount of chores. As they complete each chore, they pick a sticker to place in the assigned box. At the end of each week they get to choose a family activity to do together. The reward they choose is usually a trip to the park, a hike in the woods, going to a special playground or driving to the beach. With the right amount of encouragement, kids can do anything!
MOM’S HOMEMADE FLOOR CLEANER
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 1 gallon hot water
(I fill up a gallon jug of hot water and vinegar so I can quickly refill my O-Cedar canister.)
Happy Holidays,
Daniele
#CleanForTheHolidays #CollectiveBias
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