Nobody expects kids to be as concerned about a clean and tidy home as you are, but getting them to at least understand why it’s important, is something both parties can really benefit from.
The best way is to start showing your kids how to pick up after themselves when they’re very small (putting their toys away when they’ve finished playing with them, for example), then move on to keeping their bedrooms relatively tidy (making their bed each morning and putting clothes away in the closet, for example), and then gradually progress to having them carry out light chores around the home. You may still have the need for a cleaning company, but a lot of the daily mess and clutter can at least be kept to a minimum when your kids help out around the place.
The key to teaching kids the importance of a clean home is to start young, but it is important to make sure that all activities are age-related, that way they’re more likely to be successful, and ultimately, make you happy!
Let’s look at a few simple ways to get your kids helping out around the home:
- Begin with simple tasks as part of a simple routine
Encouraging your little ones to be tidier around the home, is a great place to start, and most children find it easy enough to clear away their toys or games once they’ve finished playing with them. Slightly older children may be able to make their beds, and keep their bedroom floors clear of debris and clothes etc.
- Do your best to make it fun
If you can turn cleaning into a game, you might keep your kids engaged that bit longer. Why not ask them to see how quickly they can pick up their toys, and set a timer, or create a system of rewards for each chore successfully carried out? Anything that can make cleaning and tidying up seem like a fun, is worth a try!
- Make sure chores are age-appropriate
You don’t want to set your kids up to fail by assigning them chores that they can’t be reasonably expected to complete. Instead, give them tasks that they can easily manage according to their age and skill level, and then as they grow, you can expand upon the chores and increase their frequency or difficulty level.
- Lead by example
If you want your kids to contribute towards a cleaner, tidier home, you must make sure that you’re setting a good example by doing the same.
- Keep your expectations consistent
When building habits, consistency is crucial. Set clear, unambiguous rules about cleanliness within the home, and make sure you stick to them. This way, rules will soon become a part of the very fabric of home life, and because your kids know what’s expected of them, they will simply get on with their chores, no questions asked. In theory, at least!
- Dish out plenty of positive reinforcement
When trying to motivate kids – particularly for something like cleaning! – positive reinforcement can be a vital tool. If they do a good job, be sure to let them know, and where appropriate, offer small rewards.
Keeping a clean home is important, and it’s absolutely wise to start teaching your kids this from an early age. Even if you use the regular services of a home cleaning company, they aren’t there to pick up after your children, so it’s still important that they be taught to help out, and if nothing else, it will set up them for independence when they eventually fly the nest.
