Tips on Cleaning With Kids
If there is one thing parents all around the world face no matter what their kid is like, it is keeping their rooms clean. This is something that happens not because they are lazy, but possibly because we also hated doing it when we were kids. Well, regardless of that you will still have a lot to gain if you get your kids to help you out in the long run. You can remind them of cleaning their room, but you would be better served if they help out with cleaning in general. If you want to work on things together you will need to figure out a few things before the big cleaning day ahead of you. The following tips and guidelines will make things clearer so you and your kids can deal with cleaning without it becoming tedium:
- Set an example for your kids
This is one of the most important steps in dealing with house cleaning with your kids, as it will be a major undertaking and they will need to understand how things work before they can help out. If your attitude is positive and you have what you need to make things work, you will have a much easier time when you need to deal with cleaning. This will make your kids more likely to help you out instead of moping about what needs to be done.
- Show you appreciate the help
Your kids will need to know you are glad they are helping out with house cleaning, so make sure they understand that, making your life a whole lot easier in the long run. They should also be able to control the looks of your room, so there is no sense in becoming a household dictator that makes your kids do whatever you wish. Have them pick and choose the colors and other aspects of their room, but help them keep it clean.
- Defining the meaning of a clean room
This is a bit of a strange one, as different people have different ideas about what cleanliness is. Make a checklist of the most common problems you encounter and see about fixing them so nothing will go wrong when you work on things together. They will need to understand that carpet cleaning and upholstery cleaning are two tasks that need to be done right, no matter how hard it may seem at first.
- A place for everything – everything in its place
Your kids will need to learn that lesson if you want to avoid making your cleaning efforts a lot harder than they need to be. This type of system taught to them will help set the ground rules and making sure you will have a far easier solution once cleaning needs to be done on a regular basis.
- Doing chores together
One thing your kids will need to see so they can respect your requests and requirements for cleaning would be to lead by example, meaning working together on any cleaning chores you have for them. This will allow you to explain how to deal with things and to make them a lot easier to deal with in the long run.
- Do chores together at first
The kids will have an easier time getting used to the idea of cleaning. You should keep your expectations within reasonable limits until they know how things are done and get used to it. If you think things will be boring, you can add some energy to the chores by putting up some good music.