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Quick Housecleaning Tips ... for homeschooling mothers
by Kristenea M. LaVelle (Kristenea's bio)
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One of the greatest obstacles that homeschooling mothers face is time management. Such a great part of our day is devoted to teaching the little ones, that at times, it becomes a challenge to keep up on housework and various other duties that cry out for our attention. Enlisting the help of your youngsters can be a very unique, rewarding way of incorporating the teaching in with the daily task of keeping house. Be creative and fun. Housework does not have to be boring and drab, in fact, making a game of things allows for the freedom to learn while you clean! Here are some ideas to get you rolling…
The Sock Box
We keep a box of unmated socks near the dryer in the laundry room. When that box looks like it's getting full, then we play a creative sorting game that is fun for all ages. The children dump them all on the floor and we eagerly divide them into color groups. Then each child takes one group of socks and the matching game begins. Once a match is found the child calls out "VICTORY!" and they get to toss that pair of socks into a laundry basket across the room. It's a challenging game of skill and you'll find its fun to see who can make the most matches vs. baskets with their socks.
Laundry Sorting
Another way to build sorting and organizational skills in your children is this: purchase an inexpensive laundry sorter (the kind with a place for darks, whites, and reds) Or you can just use three laundry baskets (garbage cans or large boxes work well too). Distinguish which color goes in each of the three containers and then explain to the children that they will be timed during this game. Decide a reasonable amount of time based on the age and ability of each child then let the fun begin. Have them sort their clothing into each corresponding basket as fast as they can without mixing the colors. As a variation, you can have races with siblings challenging eachother to "beat the best time". After the laundry is sorted you have a perfect opportunity to "train" the children how to put a load of clothes into the washer. Before long, they will be able to do their own laundry.
Kids in the Bathroom
Here is an interesting and fun way to keep the bathroom clean. The next time you think about it, purchase some inexpensive colored "tub paints" that the kids can play with in the tub. (they come in tubes) Allow them to be as creative as possible with their artwork, and encourage them to "mark up the entire tub" if they want to. Then, when its time to get out they will need to clean up the "paints" and will have to scrub the tub clean to do so. In the mean time, while the kids are in the tub, you can take a moment to clean the toilet, sink, counter etc… while you are waiting for them to finish. This allows you to get the kids and the bathroom clean at the same time. As a variation, you can use scented bubble bath and just give them scrub brushes to play with in the tub. I have found this to be very effective in involving them in the whole bathroom cleaning process.
Chore Cards
There is a lot of creativity involved in this game. Sit down with the children and decide on some common, daily household chores that they can help with and make a list. (Allow them to name the ones they feel capable of doing on their own.) Get some index cards and some old magazines and let the children go through the magazines and find pictures that represent each of the chores you listed. Cut out the pictures and let the children make chore cards by gluing, taping or stapling them to the index cards. When the cards are made put them into a bag and let the children pick one out without looking. Continue until all the cards have been chosen. Then, let them complete their pile of cards each day and see who can finish first. I found that my children loved this game and will frequently ask me to "do the chore cards again." You can swap cards monthly, weekly or every few days, whatever works best for your family.
From one homeschooling mom to another, I would encourage you to make everything a learning opportunity. Look at the common, mundane things you deal with in a day and find a way to incorporate your children into your work. Children are nearly always ready to learn new and exciting things. Challenge them to "help" you come up with fun ways to get the most out of your day. Your relationship with them will flourish and you will find that the house is actually staying cleaner in the process. Happy Homeschooling!
Copyright 2001, Kristenea M. LaVelle. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.
| About Kristenea M. LaVelle: I am a wife of 10 years and a homeschooling mother of five dedicated to teaching and living the truth of Jesus Christ. David and I make our home in Spokane, Washington where we can serve our family and friends with the love of Christ. It was through His direction that I began writing and found myself on a fascinating new journey in life. Now my joy is made complete by writing for Him and about Him. E-mail Kristenea |
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