Housecleaning Help: How to Motivate Your Family to Help

We thought the following post was fun and had some good ideas for working with children.  It’s from our “online friends” at baglessvacuumcleaners.com. Check out their web site if you are in the market for a new vacuum. It’s loaded with good information.

For most of us, housekeepethe home cleaning is our job and responsibility. Sure it’s great when the housekeeper arrives but for the in between days we would also like a clean home, no?!  For years I struggled with motivating my husband and children to help me clean the house. As soon as I uttered the two magic words “cleanup time” they all disappeared. My daughter would find a book, the two middles would run outside to their bikes, and I would be left with the baby and the mess. I tried doing my usual motivational stuff like charts and giving monetary rewards, but after a week either it lost its appeal or the cost was too big. Thankfully, I have read up on effective parenting techniques and the ideas outlined below have inspired me.

1. Clean with Them

Over the years that I have spent together with my children I have realized a rule when it comes to dealing with them. “A child would do anything to be together with Mom.” If you think you are dispensable in the home, think again. Your child will clean happily if allowed the chance to do it together with you. Now, I know it takes double the time and effort when a youngster wants to “help” but by doing it together the first couple of times you teach them how to do it right and then you can step back. Children that were taught how to keep a home clean will not grow up to be one of those spoiled brats that live in a dump while in college. They will have the skills and the know how to succeed. The greatest gift you can give your child is clean together with them.

1. Make Cleaning Fun

All it takes is some creativity on Moms part for the fun to get started. You can convert any chore on your to do list into a fun and exciting project. Here are some ideas to get your creativity running.

• Shows and plays. My children enjoy dressing up like anything they want and then using their imagination to clean their room in a fun way. I often join them in the festivities and we make up a show as we go along. (never forgetting the main goal)
• Make liberal use of Soap and Water. All children enjoy the sensation of soap bubbles and water, so I make liberal use of it. If I have lots of little toys to wash like Lego pieces I’ll dump everything into the bathtub together with one lucky child. He gets to rinse every piece and throw it back into the container. If we are washing outdoor furniture I’ll spray everyone up with my outdoor hose after we are done cleaning.
• Bang up some Noise. Young boys need the stimulation of loud sounds, so I take advantage of that. I will give the bagless canister vacuum cleaner to one of my boys and direct them to the carpet. They all fight for the privilege of using the bagless canister vacuum cleaner.