There are a lot of things that have to be done around the house. Even young children should pitch in and help keep the house tidy and neat. Many chores are simple enough for very young kids. Of course, you will need to keep tasks age- and size-appropriate.
Be sure to explain that everyone living in the home should help keep it clean and tidy. Help your kids understand that if household chores are left undone, the home will soon become a mess and a much less pleasant place to live and play. Also explain that if everyone pitches in, no one will have to work too hard to keep up with chores and the house will stay clean and neat.
Make It Fun
Be willing to simplify some of the jobs so the kids do not feel the drudgery. You could even make some of the chores appear like games or fun activities. For instance, you could give each child a tub and ask them to go through the house and pick up (and place in the tub) things that are out of place. Give them 10 or 15 minutes to complete this task – the kid that picks up the most items can win a prize or perhaps earn extra time on the computer.
Give Them Control
You can make your kids feel in control of their own sleeping area by having them fix their own beds. You can have them straighten the covers and arrange the pillows. They can make sure no food crumbs or toys are on the bed. Children will feel more comfortable knowing they arranged their own bed.
Simple Routines Work
Children are fond of playing with their toys and may leave them lying all over the floor. Leaving the toys strewn all over the floor is not intentional. Their retention is very short. They quickly move on to other toys without caring where they leave the previous toys. You can have them keep their toys in a box at the end of the day. This can become part of their nightly ritual before going to bed. This practice will help them remember where their toys are when they want to play with them again. Keeping toys picked up can be a fun activity.
Laundry Duties
Another regular household chore is washing and arranging the clothes. Your kids can help sort out the clean clothes. They can separate their clothes and fold them neatly. They can even put their own clothes in the drawers and closets. This will help the children become more organized and orderly. Learning how to take care of clothing is a life skill your kids can use forever.
Good Habits & A Clean House!
Most children love to help around the house but we are sometimes scared that they might break something. The good news is, there are lots of things kids can do to help us – chores that include little risks related to something getting damaged. And we can supervise and guide kids to handle these household chores and more as they age.
Making household chores a family task is a great way to promote family togetherness and bonding. Your family can unite to clean the house, a particular room or space. This helps kids learn about responsibilities and also, that they are an essential part of the family.
This Package From Santa blog provides information about lifestyle and family issues – especially those that relate to kids. New content is added on a regular basis so please visit often.
