Obviously, kids don’t need to learn how to make messes – they’re naturally great at it, usually right from birth! They do, however, have to be taught how to clean up after themselves, and why it’s important. Whether you’ve got a very young child who’s finally able to help with household chores or you’re frustrated with your older children’s lack of pitching in, here are some great tips from your home cleaning service in Austin to help your family live neatly in harmony.
Start early and with lower expectations – Even if your child isn’t speaking in sentences yet, it’s not too early to have them help you clean up. By the time a child is a year old, they are usually able to perform very simple tasks, such as putting away one or two toys. Obviously, they won’t have the attention span yet to clean up a large mess, and they’re probably lacking the necessary dexterity and/or mobility for moving certain items. As they get older, gradually increase the amount of mess that they’re responsible for.
If you have older children who need to learn or re-learn responsibility, remember that all learning is a process, especially when it comes to developing habits. It’s unreasonable to go from cleaning up your kids’ entire room one day to expecting them to handle a large mess on their own the next day. As you re-set your family’s clean-up policy, be prepared to help your kids initially. As with a very young child, gradually increase the amount of responsibility they take as time goes on.
Make cleaning part of your kids’ routine – Your kids probably follow a lot of different routines, from getting ready for the day in the morning to going to bed at night. Most kids thrive on routines, which is why it’s so important to work clean-up time into their schedules. Get your kids in the habit of always cleaning up before naptime and bedtime, or whatever works best for your family. Make sure they’ll have enough time to do the work thoroughly without rushing, and give them a few warnings beforehand: “Okay, we have twenty minutes until clean-up time!” “We need to start putting toys away in ten minutes!” It’s also helpful to help children learn to put away one thing before they get out another. If they’ve been playing with all their building blocks, those need to be put away before getting out the Barbie dolls.
Model good behavior – Remember, your kids are watching you all the time. If you grumble and groan whenever you do the dishes or sort laundry, your children will learn to associate cleaning and chores with gloom and doom. Help your kids see that keeping things tidy is a necessary part of life, and it will be over quickly if they simply buckle down and do the work.
If kids are overwhelmed, break the job down – Big messes can be overwhelming even for adults; also, a room full of toys or fun activities is naturally a distraction for kids. If your little ones are having trouble focusing on the task at hand, help them break it down. Say, “First, let’s pick up all the plastic animals,” or “Can you pick up everything that’s on the couch?” By moving from category to category or area to area, it’s easier to tackle a large, jumbled mess. Over time, your kids will learn to handle the break-down themselves.
Make the process fun – When all else fails, go into competition mode. See who can pick up the most things in three minutes, or if your child can put everything away before their favorite song ends.
Help your kids make connections – As your kids, regardless of age, get in the habit of cleaning up their own messes, help them see the benefits of a tidy space: toys are less likely to get stepped on or otherwise broken, little messes are easier to handle than big messes, and it’s easier to find what they’re looking for when the area is under control. Also, emphasize that cleaning up is simply an aspect of being part of a family and a community: when everyone pitches in and does their share, everyone’s life will be that much happier and easier!
At It’s Cleaning Time, we always strive to make your life happier and easier! Your Austin, Texas, cleaning company offers a range of services to fit your needs, from light housework to deep cleaning.
