5 ways to get children to start cleaning

Let's face it, there are not many adults who enjoy an afternoon cleaning but someone has to do it. Having children clean up is probably a challenge at first but it is still a goal worth fighting for. One of the goals of parenting is to teach them to be responsible and self-sufficient. Household cleaning has become a common task for the whole family and boys, girls, men and women must fold, polish and clean up the mess. But where to start? In this article we propose 5 ways to get children to start cleaning .

Start early

You may have discovered that very young children have a very democratic sense of what entertainment is and what it is not. As your happy child hits the wooden spoons on the pot lids, consider turning your boundless curiosity and inexhaustible source of energy into a few useful habits.

Wait a few years to start asking her to shake the furniture or put her unused toys in a box and she will rebel. Begin early to introduce these principles of simple tasks. When he grows up and realizes that it is work and not a game, it will be too late for him and, without realizing it, he will have developed some habits of order.

Maintain your age appropriate requests and offer regular and smooth reminders. Give your child a designated place for his toys and encourage him to leave one toy he was using before selecting another - unless he is going to use both. Children learn by repetition.

Give him a good example

This can be difficult. When you are exhausted and you still have to prepare dinner and store clothes, it is easy to postpone other tasks. However, your son is probably seeing you, so it is important that you give him an example and do the tasks that are your job. In this way, when you tell him that he has to order his room, he will not postpone that order but will do it at once, just as you do when you have to do something.

And as much as you do not want to do things right now, it will be a job less than you have accumulated to do later.

Make it a game

One of the ways to get kids to start cleaning is to turn domestic chores into something akin to a game. If you have ever danced to exercise you know that turning a task into a game really works. Tell your children to dust off a wooden floor, skating around with a pair of socks; You are showing that domestic work does not have to be boring.

Ask the child to find and combine their clothing, double them and keep them in place. Start with the socks and then with the shirts and pants. You will spend quality time with your son and teach him to dress more intuitively and to fold his clothes, all at the same time

Start looking at housework for an opportunity to create a game. They will use excess energy and be more responsible at home.

Manage well

Before you start distributing the tasks, define what is appropriate and what is not for your child to do. Young children should not move large things or clean fragile objects and should be exempt from the use of aggressive cleaning solvents or potentially dangerous tools. Once you determine that a task is safe, try to assess how long it will take.

Keep in mind that children do tasks that are short-lived or that can be done in a series of simple and satisfying steps. The older the child is, the more you can expect him to do but you are the best judge of his ability to assign him a task. Although completing the task is important, giving the child a sense of accomplishment and mastery of the task is important as well.

Be instructive and coherent

Children need to be taught how to perform the tasks as they are taught to walk and dress. If you want your older son to clean the toaster, he explains that he will have to disconnect it as a safety measure. Discuss the most effective way to get rid of crumbs, such as on a paper towel or in the sink. Supervise it the first time or two, or until you are sure you know the best way to do the job.

Once you have a level of confidence, give him responsibility and be consistent. Do not get frustrated and do the work yourself. Especially not yell if your child is not doing well, show him how to do it and supervise again, you must create a fun and pleasant atmosphere that shows your child that cleaning can also be fun. All children, young and old, want to feel capable, needed and appreciated - even when it comes to cleanliness.