You see? We gotta put all the sand in this bucket and that will make mom happy.
We love the summer vacation here at Budget Maids, but there is no doubt that this time of year brings its own challenges.
If you’ve got the kids at home, then they are probably creating a little bit more mess than usual here and there. Hey, it’s no biggie and kids will be kids, but there are some tips and tricks you can use to avoid major fall-outs and tantrums (yours!) and keep everybody onside when it comes to a clean and tidy home.
Here’s how to get your kids to clean up…
New rules for the holidays. You probably have cleaning rules that are supposed to work all year round, but it can be worth re-establishing the rules at the start of the vacation so the whole family knows what to expect – such as putting away toys when they have finished with them, alerting you to spills and putting clothes in the laundry basket when they are dirty.
Follow through your rules. It’s all very well telling your kids what you expect, but you must all tell them what will happen if rules aren’t followed – and then do what you said you would do. For example, you might say that if clothes are left lying round more than two times then pocket money or an allowance will be docked. Decide the consequence and stick to it.
Do not clean up after your kids if they don’t do what you ask. This teaches them that they can ignore your rules, or if they whine about it or procrastinate they will get away with it. Remember – you told them the consequence and now you must carry it out.
Make cleaning up fun. This works well for younger kids – you can turn it into a competition. Who can pick up the most toys in two minutes, for example, or you can put on some music and turn it into a dance/cleaning combo!
Make yourself a good model. If you are always complaining about cleaning and tidying up, your kids will pick up on that message and think of it as a horrible chore. If you do it cheerfully, however, it will look like cleaning isn’t that bad – and make your kids more likely to want to do it. Remember too, that cleaning is a life skill. It keeps people healthy through the avoidance of germs, it gives them a sense of order and organisation and it can give them feelings of self-worth from tackling large, or difficult cleaning jobs.
Here at Budget Maids we provide cleaning services in Oakton, a maid service in Arlington or cleaning services in Columbia and surrounds, and more. Why not give us a call today and let us help you ensure that your house is kept clean all-year round?
What methods do you use to get your kids to clean up? We’d love to know. Tell us in the comments below.
