“Let’s Work Together” — Involving the Kids in Chores

Keeping the house tidy when you have little ones running amok, making a bigger mess along the way is a tough, tough job. Toys end up all over the floor and walls and doors get scratch. Meanwhile, the carpet and upholstery are bound to be on the business end of spills and stains, so you’ll probably need a decent carpet cleaner, and dusting might seem like something you indulged in during another lifetime! A great way to stay on top of your cleaning while keeping the kids busy is to get them involved in the process. Is it dreaming the impossible dream? Hopefully not if you follow a few of these handy tips!

 

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Shift the stains!

Anyone with kids will know how difficult it is to keep the carpet clean while they’re running around with muddy shoes, messy drinks, and sloppy snacks. If you’re desperate to get out the carpet cleaner out, a great way to bring the kids into the action (but make sure they're not in the way) is to turn the carpet into a “sea” and ask the children to man the pirate ship (the sofa!), keeping their feet up and away from the wet floor. Best to do this just before you all go to bed, so that nobody gets wet socks.

Get the grub on

One of the finest chores to involve your kids in is the cooking. Let your children choose what they’d like to cook for dinner, then ask them to help you make it. There are loads of kid-friendly recipes online that you can make as week-in, week-out favorites. While they’re lending you a hand with the lunch or dinner, they’re also engaged and learning valuable life skills.

Put a sticker on it

A very popular means of making kids do chores and keep at them is to implement a sticker chart. Maybe you could tell your kids that if they do one chore a day for a week and fill their sticker chart, they’ll get a reward at the weekend. We’re not talking heavy or extravagant chores, here — you can just ask them to keep their room tidy or put their cup(s) in the dishwasher in the evening. And the rewards don’t have to be huge, perhaps an ice cream or a trip to the park, just something to keep them interested.

As well as helping you out, involving your kids in the household chores will inspire them to be organized and responsible. After a while, when they’ve built up some skills, you might like to encourage them to plan an event, such as a birthday or dinner party that they can then get ready for. Letting them participate in something larger than themselves will allow their life purpose to grow, helping them to become a more rounded adult eventually.