This afternoon with Danielle down for her nap and Nathan getting a little bored, I noticed a sudden urge in myself to do a little cleaning. Deep cleaning none-the-less. I'm by no means a Flylady follower, but have at times read her site for inspiration for cleaning my home. I am not a deep cleaner by nature (as I realised this morning while out with a couple of girlfriends), I'm a bit of a whizz-around, make-things-look-nice, and in general cleaner - so I usually have a decluttered, presentable looking house by the end of the day. However, now and again I get a burst of energy to actually clean into those forgotten corners and get rid of the build up of grime, dust and dead insects. Today was one of those days and coincided nicely with Nathan looking bored (heehee).
I'm not one to make the kids clean or tidy up their toys, I might simply put out *once* that I am going to clean or tidy and would anyone like to help me (a yes or a no is ok with me). Well, this hands off approach is having it payoffs (despite moments of frustration and feeling like the only one contributing). BUT, I really see the enthusiasm Nathan now shows for wanting to clean and keep our home tidy. Sure, not all the time (but then neither do I...). It seems that showing *my* positive attitude for wanting a clean and tidy house is what helps to motivate and enthuse the kids (Simon is a big contributor with chores in his own way - in particular the shower, getting the kids breakfast in the morning so I can lie in bed for an extra 1/2 hour and making me a cup of tea after dinner). Afterall, who would want to help me if I made out it was the biggest most horrible chore out there? I'm also a believer that housework preferably gets done when the kids are actually awake and in the house - how else do they get modelled these important life skills? It's the whole working together thing - work is much more fun when done together. I actually enjoy cleaning too when Nathan is working alongside me, we have fun, he talks about and points out the funniest things. His enthusiasm to keep working actually keeps me enthused too and without knowing it I moved on from cleaning skirting boards and corners to cleaning the windows! Of course a bit of Lenny Kravitz on the stereo and the odd bout of playing Air Guitar lightened the load and lifted the spirit.
The fireplace surround got cleaned many times over - it took me a while to notice that he was stumped as to why it kept looking dirty and patchy after a few minutes...he didn't realise that as the tiles dried they looked dirty again. But I have very clean tiles now!
The simplest and most practical of chores can in fact be *entertainment* to kids.
2 comments:
All my kids have enjoyed working with me as preschoolers....without exception. The older ones still enjoy some chores. But I am too gutless to try the "help me if you want to" approach. We do the "if a man will not work he shall not eat"!
Sometimes we abandon our chore chart and just do whatever seems to need doing, but it takes so much longer coz everyone is negotiating who is going to do what....of course there's nothing wrong with that, but there are advantages to having a list too.....maybe that's just a "big family" thing. I'm not sure.
When I've finished my winter sewing (and have time on my hands), we'll give *your way* a try, just for the fun of it.
I totally agree with you about setting a good example and modelling what is important to you.
Yes, it will be interesting to see how this all pans out when he is older (D's still really only at the handing me washing and unloading dishwasher stage). Right now my fireplace surround is being cleaned again because I said No I didn't feel like cleaning the whole house like he just suggested lol. I can see how a larger family probably do need a chore list - will be interested to hear how you get on if they were always to negotiate the chore list instead of set things (for example, I never clean the shower nor mow the lawns and dh never cleans the bathroom (except shower) or folds washing and everything else is worked out between us.
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