Do you know toddlers and young kids learn new things by observing adults? Children quickly catch patterns and habits from their parents, even if they are not intentionally teaching them anything. You can utilise this opportunity to teach your little ones cleaning chores daily.Keeping a house clean with children can be strenuous, especially if you are a working professional.
Thus, teach your kids the importance of cleaning and make them self-reliant from an early age. You can start teaching good cleaning habits when they are 2 to 5. This is the best time to make them responsible for the rest of their life.
Start by developing
good personal hygiene and teach them simple household tasks to keep them motivated. Here is the list of top cleaning habits every parent should teach their kids depending on their age:
Pre-School Age
Kids at this age are curious and are always ready to learn new things. They will try to imitate adults. So, you can start creating curiosity and teach them basic cleaning chores. This is the introduction phase, so be kind and go with the flow.
You need to ensure that your kid grows up to continue performing household chores and maintain a healthy indoor environment. This can help them become confident and create a sense of responsibility throughout their life.
Here are some simple cleaning habits you can instil in your pre-aged kids:
Tossing Trash Properly
Preserving the environment via responsible waste disposal may sound fancy, but throwing chocolate wrappers, plastic bags, and other trash properly is the basic cleaning habit. Teach your kids to throw waste in the dustbin.
You need to be a good role model because kids observe your actions. So, whenever they throw a wrapper or something on the floor, ask them to pick it up and toss it in the trash. Repeat and teach them for better understanding. This will help you maintain a tidy abode.
If you are at the end of your tenancy, hire professionals for a detailed
end of lease cleaning Geelong and impress your fussy landlord. For that, you need to maintain a clean and organised property throughout your lease.
Putting Dirty Dishes in the Sink
This is one of the best habits to help you maintain a tidy and organised home. Teach your kids to put dirty dishes and other utensils in the sink. Also, do not allow them to leave it on the dining table or a countertop.
Returning Toys to their Actual Place
This is a cleaning habit of making your house look de-cluttered and organised. Develop this habit from an early age so that they can put all their toys in a bag or their actual place.
Folding Clean Clothes
Let your kids observe the habit of folding clean clothes. The easiest way is to fold clothes with them until they get the hang of it. Give them a hand towel to follow your actions and make it a habit. This may take time but eventually, develop this habit with time.
These simple cleaning tasks will create a robust foundation for your child and help them do more chores on their own.
Young Kids
Primary school kids are either too sweet or test your patience. They are stubborn and may deny from doing household chores. So, you need to motivate them to do house cleaning chores by developing the following habits:
Dusting Hard Surfaces
Encourage your kids to wipe down surfaces they can easily reach. Don’t allow them to clean mirrors, glass surfaces and other breakable items. They can take it as a fun game but develop a habit of dusting surfaces on a regular basis. Teach them about
green cleaning practices and how to choose safe cleaners over toxic ones.
Make Their Bed Daily
Develop a habit of making the bed every day in the marking. It sets the tone for the rest of the day. Teach your school-aged kids to fold the bed sheets and keep pillows and quilts properly on the bed. Cover the mattress with the comforter.
For older ones, ask them to put blankets and comforters in the storage space.
Quick Note: Never allow your kids to eat food in their bed because food particles and crumbs attract germs, rodents and other common pests.
Leave Shoes outside the Home
You can ask your young kids to keep their dirty shoes and other footwear in the shoe rack or mudroom. This will prevent muddy footprints, scuff marks and keep the floors and carpets clean. Add this in your
home cleaning resolution list to maintain a cleaner home.
Also, teach them to sweep and mop the floors. But, you should hire a good company if vacating a rented property. Professional end of lease cleaners Geelong bring all the necessary tools and products to tackle dust, dirt and grime.
Organise the Living Room
Develop a habit of organising the living room on a daily basis. This is even more important if they are playing or eating in that room. So, ask them to put things in the designated places and maintain a clutter-free abode.
Washing Dirty Dishes
Once they are old enough to wash dishes, ask them to do it after doing their meal. An older kid can even load the dishwasher if you teach them properly. Also, clean
your kitchen appliances without chemicals and let them watch the entire process.
Create a Cleaning Routine
If you have teens, they can manage almost all cleaning chores and can assist you in regular cleaning tasks. So, it is good to prepare a daily or weekly cleaning routine and ensure they follow it. You can give them rewards after completing or learning a new task.
However, avoid assigning risky task, such as washing windows if they are height. It is also against the
child protection service. Plus, you don’t want to hurt your kids. So, be mindful when assigning chores.
Wrapping Up
Let your kids take responsibility for assigned house cleaning chores. As a parent, you can develop these cleaning habits and allow your kids to build confidence and maintain a clean home. These simple habits will keep them hygienic and healthy for the rest of their life because cleaning keeps germs and potential viruses at bay.
