Kids as young as two can help in household chores. There are several benefits to involving your children in cleaning and organizing the home, like learning how to be responsible and instilling the spirit of teamwork. It will also help them be ready for the future since they will do these chores eventually for themselves when they turn into adults. If you want your children to participate in these chores, here are some cleaning tips that will make it easier to involve them.
Include everyone in the family
Unless they are babies, every member of the family should have their roles. As mentioned, kids can join in as early as two years old. It’s to show fairness to all children. They might think that it’s unfair if they have chores, and their other siblings don’t have theirs. Instead of building teamwork, it could cause trouble.
Give chores appropriate for their age
Kids can do various tasks, depending on their age. Younger ones can do simpler and lighter tasks, but the older ones can do more on their list. For instance, the smaller kids can help with removing clothes from the dryer or putting napkins on the dining table. The older children, on the other hand, can throw out the garbage, fix the bed, sweep the floor, and do the dishes. Give something appropriate for their skills and age.
Appreciate their effort
Don’t forget to show how much you appreciate their help, as this will give them a sense of pride. They will feel that they are helpful, and the kids will be motivated to continue doing their chores because they are appreciated. You may reward them with simple material things or money, but it doesn’t have to be all the time. It may be nice once in a while, to make them happy, but words of praises and appreciation are also enough.
Make cleaning more fun
Kids are more likely to enjoy doing their tasks if they feel they are fun. Be creative and think of various ways to make these chores enjoyable like playing music and dancing along while cleaning. You may also hold a contest to see who finishes their tasks first, who did it better or who didn’t miss their chores.
Be consistent
It can be challenging to work with kids but be patient in teaching them, as they will learn how to do it right in time, with consistency. Control your expectations as it may take time for them to get it. You may be tempted to do it yourself to complete it faster, but avoid doing this because they could think that they could stop doing their tasks and just let you do them instead. It would defeat the purpose of training them at an early age.
Use pictures for non-readers
If you have very young kids who are non-readers, you may draw or print images to show them how to do the task. For instance, post pictures on where they need to place their specific toys.
Safety is always the top priority. Do not let children do dangerous tasks and always supervise the little ones.