TIME SAVER: Chores and Kids

This is the biggest, most perplexing problems I have faced as a Mom.  Do I do my chores without my kids around or do I include.  For a long, long time I did my chores when they were napping or on a playdate or out with Daddy.  But it did seem very unfair to me that in my moments without my kids I was using that precious time to clean my house.  Very unfair.  So with that in mind (and the fact that my oldest no longer naps) I've begun including my kids in my house work.  The shocking thing I have found is that they LOVE to help me.  In fact they fight over who gets to help Mommy.  Shocking!  Here's how I do it:

TIME SAVER tips:

1. Laundry
This is easy.  They do all the work!  Well almost.  I still set the dial on the washer since they can't reach it.  I use our large cooler as a stool (since both my kids can stand on it at the same time).  I measure the soap and they dump it in.  Then I tell them which pile of clothes to load in.  They do it and LOVE it!  If I start laundry without them they get very mad.  Their favorite is the dryer because it has a button push to start.  Sometimes I need to stop it so the second child gets to push the button too and start it again.

2. Window washing
I do this once a week because I have many many low windows in my house.  I have young kids who leave hand prints, and a dog and two cats who leave nose prints.  At first this was a challenge.  The method I use to clean windows is super soapy warm water and a squeegee.  It's fast, cheap (MONEY SAVER tip), and I always have the supplies on hand.  But with a bucket of soapy water at child level you're just asking for trouble right?  Unless you give each child their own squeegee.  So instead of focusing on the bucket, they're attacking the window.  Yes I often quickly go over their window with my own squeegee before moving on to the next window so there aren't any smudges, but they are helping, we're spending time together and they love it.

3. Vacuuming
This is simple because it involves a button.  And my kids love pushing my buttons (ha!).  Their job is to move any toys out of the way and push the button to turn on the vacuum.  Then they love jumping out of the way as I move the vacuum across the carpet.  My son enjoys thinking the vacuum is a beast of some kind that will catch him if it gets too close.  Another little game I play with them is having them guess which carpet I'll vacuum next.  We don't have many so this game is very short but if you have a house filled with carpets it could be a very fun game indeed!

4. Sink Dishes
Though my kids don't really help with the dishes (they just play in the dish water) at least they aren't making new messes for me to clean.  They pull up a chair and play with an appropriate dirty dish (usually a measuring spoon/cup) while I clean the other dishes.  My daughter likes to decide which dish I'll clean next.  A game she made up.

5. Dishwasher Dishes
Again a button!  So my kids literally fight over who gets to take the soap out of the cupboard, pour the soap in the dispenser, shut the little dispenser door, shut the big dishwasher door and push the button.  Our solution is to have two soap bottles and stop the cycle so the second child gets to push the button too and restart the cycle.  The stopping and starting may not be a TIME SAVER but it is a SANITY SAVER!

6. Water Plants
Water and kids go together like hot dogs and ketchup don't they?  The only trick with watering and kids is making sure the kids don't over water.  But the more they practice, the better they get.

My son helps Daddy with Chores

7. Outdoor Chores
These chores mostly fall to my husband.  But if they're done outside my kids want to be part of them!  They do everything from turning soil, planting seeds (in the spring), "helping" to mow the lawn, build a fence, water the garden (in the summer) pick fruit and vegtables, rake leaves (in the fall) to actually shoveling the driveway (in the winter).


8. Cleaning the Bathroom
To be honest, this is the one chore I do without them.  I do it when they've both gone to sleep.  Once their arms are long enough to reach the bottom of the tub while kneeling on the outside of it or when my daughter ends the stage of putting all things in her mouth, then I'll incorporate them.  Til then, it's Mom's job only.

Doing chores with your kids is difficult at first.  You need to find a rhythm that suits them and you.  Remember not to be too controlling.  Allow mistakes to happen.  Correct through encouragement.  

You'll find you enjoy doing chores more when you make them fun and include your kids.  Also, this trains them so that one day they can take over the chores and you can finally finish that cup of coffee.

Thank you for following my blog.

Please check  in tomorrow for more MONEY SAVERS, TIME SAVERS, and SANITY SAVERS