When you have children at home, it’s understood that you may likely have a messy home, at times. But what if one didn’t equal the other? What if you could enjoy a clean home even if you have children underfoot? Below, we’ll cover the basics of blending these two realities so that you can get the best of both worlds!
How is a clean home with children possible?
As you can probably guess from the title, this reality is possible by teaching children to clean up after themselves. If that sounds like an impossible task, just wait. There are two focuses to keep in mind.
The first one is that children learn what they see. They will be more likely to do the same if they see you picking up after yourself. Just be careful not to pick up after their messes; otherwise, they’ll see mess management as only your job.
The second one is to make cleaning up fun. You can do that in many ways so that cleaning becomes an excuse for family time and/or fun rather than drudgery. This might be a process, but it is possible.
How to make cleaning time work with kids
Depending on how many kids you have and their ages, your cleaning approach might be a bit different. Here are some tips to guide your journey to a reality where children pick up after themselves.
Have a “return” system in place
One of the best starting points is to have a rule where each child has to return a toy in its place before they can take another one out to play with. This works very well if you follow suit by putting one “toy” (a book, for example) away before getting another one (a computer). Remember that kids learn by what they see.
Put a timer on the cleaning
Since children can get frustrated at first when learning to clean up “big messes,” put a realistic timer of 10 minutes. Challenge your children to clean up the entire room in 10 minutes, working together or alone. This is a great way to make it bearable and also not have it go on too long. You can also give them a reward for doing that (such as an extra 5 minutes of screen time). And you can turn this into a game as well, see how fast they can clean up and/or create a silly ritual (versus reward) for getting it done timely.
Join in on the fun
If your young ones are really struggling to get used to cleaning up their messes, make their cleaning time your cleaning time. Set a timer and have them clean up their messes while you clean up yours. They’ll follow your example. Don’t forget to give yourself a reward or, as noted above, a celebration. Because, after all, we don’t want to create a habit of being rewarded for everything they do. Responsiblity and being a part of a family should create good habits, that sometimes aren’t fun, but essential.
Turn on some music
If all else fails, put on some fun, kid-friendly music and make it a cleaning/dance session! This can be a way to work out sillies and have a good laugh, too. Plus, it’ll make the entire thing a bit more enjoyable. I mean, after all, music is definitely a joy and can put a skip in your step.
The benefit of teaching children to clean up after themselves
Other than teaching your young ones about good values and good healthy living habits, a clean home also means that your DK’s cleaning service will be able to do more with your space when they come in. After all, if your living room is covered in LEGO pieces, house cleaners won’t be able to clean the carpet as effectively and they’ll spend more time picking up versus truly cleaning your home. So, it’s a win-win.
While it may not seem as though a clean house and children go hand in hand, it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way! It’s just about finding the right approach to teaching them proper values! Let us help create a cleaner home for you and your family with weekly, bi-weekly and monthly cleaning services. We also offer deep cleaning services as well. Contact us at (281) 286-3878 or Get a Free Quote here.
