A toddler can turn a room upside down in ten minutes– then it’s on to the next part of the house. Parents can either choose to let the home look like a tornado struck, to follow behind and clean up messes all day, or to teach their kids the important skill of cleaning up after themselves and get children doing household chores. Here's parenting advice that introduces kids and chores such as cleaning a room before leaving and putting away a toy before taking another.
Parenting Help for When to Start Teaching Kids to Clean
It’s never too late to teach kids to clean, but the earlier parents start, the better. As soon as children pick up their first toys, parents can begin imparting the basic rule: “put away what you’ve been playing with before moving on to a new activity.” For a baby or toddler, parents will primarily be modeling the principle, but they shouldn’t forget to offer opportunities for kids to join in even when it makes the job take twice as long. Parents might say something similar to, “Oh, are you done with the blocks? Can you help me put them all into the box before you get on your rocking horse? Good job! I’ll put the box back on the shelf where we got it.”
Preschoolers still need gentle reminders and direction. Every time parents leave a room, they can ask children to do a quick scan for stray toys. A few seconds of touch up will save hours of cleaning in the long run. Parents might say something like, “Before we go to fix lunch, let’s make sure the bedroom looks good. Do you see anything on the floor? Right, the police car. Where does that go?”
Parenting Tips, Give Kids Specific Instructions for Cleaning and Household Chores
Cleaning direction for kids needs to be specific. Instructions like “Clean your room,” or “Pick up your toys,” are far too general for kids. Parents will have a lot more luck with specific direction like “Put your Lego’s in the bin.”
To keep from overwhelming young kids, parents can dole out one or two directions at a time. They should let children finish with that task before asking them to think about another. For example, parents might get their bedroom tidy with a conversation such as, “Can you put your dolls in their box? Good, now can you put those books back on the shelf?”
Parenting Advice, Organization Helps Children Doing Household Chores
One of the most important tips behind teaching kids to clean for themselves is providing them with the tools for organization. Parents will want to look at the toys their kids have and divide them among different colored bins, cloth boxes, or Rubbermaid tubs. Even toddlers are quick to pick up on the system. Before parents know it, their kids will be catching them putting a toy in the wrong box.
One tip that simplifies the job of teaching kids to clean involves a plan for tidying each room. Children are bound to follow their parents to every corner of the house. If kids don’t have easy access to toys where their parents are, they’ll bring them along. And getting them to tote all those toys back where they came from can be grueling. For one solution to this problem, parents can place an inconspicuous toy box wherever they tend to hang out during the day. This will keep each room fun with a fresh supply of activities as well as providing quick and easy clean up.
Parenting Help, Consistency With Kids and Chores and Teaching Kids to Clean
Consistency is key when it comes to teaching children how to clean. Kids like routines they can understand. Even though they won’t remember every time, they’ll soon learn to expect the job of tidying up a room before they leave it or putting away a toy before taking another out. Parents shouldn’t get discouraged. They can keep the short-term benefit of a clean house in mind and patiently wait to reap the long-term rewards of organized and tidy children. Kids who grow up in a clean environment are already on their way to taking responsibility for cleaning up after themselves. Organization is just like so many other skills imparted as a parent. It only works when parents consistently practice what they preach.
If parents think of cleaning in terms of a teaching opportunity rather than a mundane chore, they’ll find the motivation to keep it light and fun. They can even make a game of it when possible. “Who can get the most toys in the box before I count to ten? Who can toss the blocks into my bin? And I spy a toy hiding somewhere in the room,” are all ways to get kids into the cleaning spirit. Making the job fun is a win-win. Kids have a good time while parents get a tidy house and teach a valuable lesson.
Kids aren’t the only ones learning. moms and dads might also like to check out parenting advice on helping kids make friends, parenting help on how to use praise appropriately, and parenting tips on the importance of allowing children to make choices.
Marcy Paulson - From the moment Marcy Paulson picked up a recorder in fourth grade music class, she was hooked. Since then, her passion for music has ...
