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One of the things many parents dread is trying to clean the house and accomplish those everyday household tasks while the kids are underfoot.
You move from room to room, scrubbing, wiping, vacuuming, mopping, with the kids on your heels only to go back and find they've created more of a mess than was there when you started. You then do one of three things. You give up and succumb to living in disarray, you scream and yell, ranting and raving at the top of your lungs or you take a deep breath and start all over. If you're like most you either give up or yell and scream. But, there is an alternative.
As parents we have to keep in mind that children don’t want to be entertained, they want to be included. Foster this desire by allowing them to partake in various tasks throughout the day. Let them help you cook and clean.
When you're ironing, set up a special place for them to "iron" too. Lay a towel out over a table and give them a spatula to use as their iron and some old clothes. You might be surprised at how knowledgeable and thorough they can be by observing you. Whenever you're preparing a meal try to let your children assist with that too. Let them mix, stir, add ingredients - whatever you determine would be a safe and effective way of keeping them occupied and included in the process.
If you're working on the stove, over heat simply give them some measuring cups and a pot with a little bit of water in it. In most cases this will keep them busy and allow you to finish yourself. Praise them, make a fuss over what they're doing. Let them use their imagination and pretend to eat whatever they "cooked". Eat it along with them. At serving time pretend to dish up some of their own creation onto the plate. You might find that even picky eaters may improve their eating habits if you make it more fun and involve them in the process. Whenever you're using cleaning solutions give them a spray bottle of their own filled with water along with a sponge or paper towel. Let them go around and spray and clean. Your can follow them. In many cases this can actually cut your work in half.
They've already started to remove any dirt that was present and by the time you get there it has had a chance to soak and usually comes off much easier. By allowing them to assist they are also learning responsibility, respect for the hard work you do, as well as attaining the satisfaction of a job well done. Rather than working against each other, try working together. By allowing your kids to partake in various chores and activities you give them a sense inclusion and self worth. Let them help you cook and clean. More than likely you will find that they are quite adept at completing certain duties when given the opportunity. Watching them take pride in their accomplishments can make even the most menial and tedious tasks rewarding and enjoyable for all of you.
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