Tips For Getting Your Kids Involved in Cleaning

Getting your kids to clean up after themselves isn't as hard as it sounds but it does involve some advance preparations.  Take some time to get yourself organized and you will teach you children skills to last a lifetime.

Cleaning is a chore we all have to deal with.  However, you can make it much easier by getting your kids involved.  How?  By preparing a list of things to do and assigning each of your kids to one or more tasks.  Easier said than done, right?

Children learn by example.  If you begin teaching your child to pick up after themselves early on, they will more likely keep up with their chores more easily as they grow older.

The key to getting your kids involved in cleaning is organization.  If you are organized, they will be as well.  For example: Here are some suggestions to begin getting your kids involved:

· Show your kids how to make their own beds in the morning. 
· Have them to clean up the bathroom after each bath or shower. 
· After they play with their toys, show them where to store them after they are finished. 
· Have them bring their plates to the kitchen after supper. 
· Teach them how to wash and dry the dishes.
· Ask them to help you dust the furniture.
· Eventually, show them how to use the vacuum cleaner.
· Let them watch you clean out the refrigerator, so the next time they will be able to do it themselves.

Designate every Saturday as cleaning day, for example.  Find a CD that really makes you move to the beat and begin cleaning.  You and your kids will benefit from the exercise as well.

Is there yard work to be done?  Kids love playing in the yard, so why not give them chores to do out there as well.  Have them rake the leaves into a pile.  Kids love playing in a pile of leaves.  Afterward, they can put the leaves into a bag and enjoy the rest of the day.

Does your garage need cleaning out?  If you’ve been stockpiling used items into your garage, why not have a garage sale?  Your kids can help by sorting out what they want to keep and what they can donate to a worthy charity. 

There is so much you can teach your kids to do in the course of cleaning.  Organization, focus, experience, and responsibility are just some ways in which your child will benefit from your teaching.   It doesn’t have to be a chore either.  You can make it a fun time as well.  How you view cleaning can make all the difference in how your children perceive it to be.

Get your kids involved in cleaning very early on in their lives.  The skills they develop will become immeasurable in their adult years.  Who knows; you may finally feel good about cleaning, too.