I love Sundays. I love them for many reasons... our weekly family meetings, no cooking for mommy, and it is also Ice Cream Sunday. But I love them the most because we clean house as a family. If we do it together, it gets done faster. In the process, we teach our kids responsibility and cooperation.
My husband and I tackle the 1st floor ourselves. The four boys, on the other hand, have almost all responsibility for the upstairs. The playroom, bedrooms, hallways and their bathroom are theirs to clean. They also put their own laundry away. It is up to them to decide who will clean what. For the older boys (11 and 6) they alternate who will vacuum their bedroom or the playroom. They are responsible for making their own beds and cleaning off their desks. For the younger two (5 and 3) they make their beds, put their laundry away and vacuum their room. Then there is the bathroom. They work together to clean this room. “I’ll clean the toilet one yells.” “I’ll do the mirrors,” another one calls out. It works pretty well for us. And, one less bathoom for me to clean!
I remember a few years back my mother-in-law stopped by and I was a liitle frazzled. It was house cleaning day. (We had just started this weekly ritual a few weeks before and had not perfected it yet!) I told her I was having a hard time with getting the kids to vaccuum. She then told me, “Rocky, most three year olds don’t vacuum.” I had to stop and laugh at myself. “I know, I know,” I responded.
Were my expectations a little high for my gang? Probably.
But two years later... I have boys that know how to clean a bathroom and operate a vacuum and who do it without complaining!
Muthahood Ain’t For Sissies | Motherhood Ain’t For Sissies
Bravo! What an accomplishment. Why should cleaning the house only be Mommy's job? She isn't the only one dirtying the house. I believe giving your children responsibilites at a young age is our responsibility as parents. Children can have fun doing almost anything and cleaning with siblings or just Mom and Dad can be fun too (especially when everyone is doing it together). That allows children to respect their belongings and those of who they live with. Heck, and it helps Mom out tremendously. I am sure it isn't easy to do at first, but many things you teach your children are not easy. But you follow through and it pays off... you have wonderful and most helpful children of all!
Posted by: Jennifer | October 16, 2006 at 05:08 PM
I personally adore the fact that my Mom made me start doing all of my own laundry when I was in 6th grade. By the time I was in 10th grade, I became a star in the laundry room at the summer music camp I attended. I was able to help the poor kid who turned all of his multicolored shirts into one muddy color learn how not to do it again the next time!
If yrr fellows are vacuuming at 3, can laundry be far behind? Good Show!
Posted by: John Turner | October 16, 2006 at 05:09 PM