Deep cleaning can make a great one on one activity. I love pulling a little helper to the side to help me with a deep cleaning job. This makes a great chance for quality one on one time and they learn a life skill that I honestly can’t remember anyone ever taking the time to teach me. Like how to really clean out the oven or scrub down grout.
When it comes to everyday cleaning I have a few simple tricks that take the drama out of getting kids to help clean. Sometimes I have to pull out all stops. Head into the kitchen and call out that everything in the family room must be tidied up before anyone can eat lunch. After a late lunch or two they quickly learn that they have to do the chore I assign before a meal or it may be cold by the time they get to it. It’s like when your mom would tell you that you had to wash your hands before you could eat only they also have to pick up the toy bomb they set off that morning.
Sometimes the key to getting your child to clean up after themselves is to make it easy. We keep a few baskets handy for kids to load things into sot hey can quickly be carried back to where they belong. This eliminates those infuriating trips back and forth kids will do as they pick up one tiny thing and put it away dragging out the chore until you are ready to scream.
Making cleaning a game helps get it done faster. Pint he kids against each other by giving them each a bag or basket and setting them off to gather toys, trash, dishes, or any other item around the house until it is full before their siblings fill their basket. If you have competitive kids this works… every time.
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