I think I shared a few weeks ago how Henry and I worked over Christmas break with the girls to get in the habit of cleaning up after themselves. We made it a whole month with the new system and I can’t believe the difference it is making.
I know, shocker! I’m late to the game. I didn’t start earlier because it just seemed like they were too young to do it properly and i was already barely keeping up with them without having to add the energy it took to get them to help.
Now that they are into the routine, they don’t really fight me on it anymore. They fussed the first time or two, but now I tell them to pick up with what they’re done with and they do it. They even take games back to the scary, dark basement (sometimes together, but that’s okay). It’s expected of them and they know it.
Having the kids pick up after themselves frees me up to do the big jobs, like the laundry and dishes. And speaking of laundry, I have a new system for that too. I wait until I have five or so loads to do and then do them all in one day. I sort them as they come out of the dryer into two different baskets. After dinner that evening, I carry it all upstairs and the girls put theirs away while getting ready for bed. I put mine, Henry’s and Ryan’s away at the same time the girls are doing their thing. Then it’s done. For a few days at least.
With less toy clean up, I also have more time for sweeping and bathrooms, something that was neglected before. I can’t believe how much time I was spending keeping up with the girls’ mess before. I put myself on a schedule of doing one bathroom at week, which typically ends up happening on Friday when I realize I haven’t done it all week! The schedule gives me peace of mind knowing that each bathroom will get its turn all in good time.
Do you have a cleaning schedule? What age did you start your kids with chores?
Comments (5)
That is so great that you have started those routines. They have become good habits for your kids now.
And with Ryan and all of the things you do, this does free up a bit of time for momma.
And you are teaching the girls to be helpers and that is good too.
Love, Linda
We started when the girls were about 2 or 3 to do “chores” now that the big girls are 7 and 9 they are expected to a lot more than their little chores, sometime the mess gets to them and they pick up after their little siblings, and sometimes it’s too much for all of us and that’s the day when I say “OK I can’t take it anymore, you all are killing me…we don’t live in a sty we live in a home and it doesn’t feel like it”…LOL.. then they get the idea, because of the craziness of our schedule, cleaning gets done on Friday’s and every body chips in, I had the 2 year old helping clean bathrooms. Laundry gets done typically everyday but it’s hard to keep up with the folding part so it takes time, there are a lot of us and we just purchased a front load washer/dryer combo so I have less loads to do..it helps that everyone understands that they are part of this family too and “the maid doesn’t live here” is one I say often.
my kids are 7, 3 and 2. My seven year old is the biggest help and my two year old is next. my three year old seems to like..debunk anything I ask of her.
I do floor scrubbing by hand on friday night after the kids are in bed so it stays clean LOL!. I vacumme each room every day, do counter tops, tables, etc every day. dusting done as needed usually 2 times a week… laundry my mom is doing for me right now or I’d usually do it on saturdays.
I have everything on some sort of routine around here. It is my only survival! My boys started chores so early that I don’t recall the age. We have Riley (now 11) on video at one year putting his animals back in his crib after nap and placing his blankie there. I think that laid the foundation for clean up for him. At age five they each have learned how to do the dishwasher and by age seven they could do laundry. Since I have ongoing health issues and a husband who travels full time it wasn’t an option to not have help from them. They really pitch in around here and I am thankful for all their help. I will be having major surgery soon and I will really depend on them to keep up with their chores so the house doesn’t turn unruly to quick!
Our two older girls are 3 years and 20 months. We’ve started building in a clean-up time in the bedtime routine. Right now its mostly us cleaning up their toys, with them getting a lot of praise for the 3 or 4 toys they put away. We are planning on starting Dave Ramsey’s FPU Jr for the three year old soon, where she will have simple chores (like feeding the cat, picking up her toys, putting away clean silverware, etc) that will earn commissions. Of course we’ll be “helping” her with her chores for quite some time 🙂 I can’t wait until all of our kids can be effective cleaners!