Лекция: What Is Left to Be Done

Now that you’ve taken an accounting of what you are doing and what your family members are doing, decide fairly what isn’t getting done at all, the way you want, or divided fairly. Make up a list of these items.

What Cleaning Can a Child Do?

Just because your duties may include «everything» that doesn’t mean you should do everything, especially for your children, in fact, doing everything for your children may be faster and less grating on the nerves in the short run. But you and everyone they’ll be in contact with in the future will be suffering for it in the long run. If your child doesn’t get chances to learn skills, how will they ever learn them?

Don’t underestimate your child’s abilities; they are often able (and willing!) to perform many helpful skills. If you start teaching them at a young age, you’ll be surprised at how enthusiastic they are and how well they get the job done when they’re older. Don’t forget to turn the music on and let them wiggle while they work.

Age appropriate skills.

Ages 1-3 – Room pickup. Provide big and small baskets for stuffed animals, one for legos and blocks, one for junk to sort through twice a year, one for dirty clothes, etc.

Ages 4-7 — The above plus: House pickup. Bed making. Dusting of low shelves. Sweeping. Vacuuming. Laundry pickup. Folded laundry put away in their own drawers. Kitchen table clearing and wiping. Quick bathroom floor clean (give them an already wet towel and have them wipe the floor with it once a week; it keep the scrub job you do later from being too gross).

Ages 8-10: Dusting of high shelves. Laundry, all stages. Emptying the dishwasher. Helping with dishes. Cleaning glass windows and surfaces. Begin teaching can’t handle doing it one more time. Begin teaching clutter control and organization, starting with separating school work and toys into their own areas. Any cleaning beyond their toys and their personal messes is 20 minutes a day maximum. Set the timer.

Ages 11-18: Start teaching them new chores they will use on their own. Show them how to make cleaning supplies on their own, what the basic supplies are; explain why some are dangerous etc. Have them help you find bargains shopping, find coupons in the paper. If they get good enough at home, tell them you will allow them to make money cleaning other’s homes if they wish. Dishes and kitchen tidying 1-3 times a week, ironing their own clothes, if necessary. They should also start learning about home maintenance, such as bill paying, filter changing, garden and lawn care, utility shutoffs and emergency readiness.