I asked and moms delivered. I know you want to Keep a Tidy House with Small Children, but here’s why it’s hard! Here is what cleaning the house with a toddler is like…
We all know that cleaning the house is just something that must be done. Mostly because toddlers make such a huge mess ALL. DAY. LONG.
And…as with all moms, my day is full and busy… There’s always something to be done.
The truth is: I want my kids to help. I don’t want them to be lazy pre-teen children who don’t know how to clean.
So… I started them early. I believe that we must teach them to be enthusiastic about cleaning when they are young.
Check off critical household, social, and hygiene skills for your child so they’re prepared (not petrified) of growing up!
There are things Even My 2 and 3 Year Old Children can do to help. And I let them! I am a Tired Mom, after all.
However, that doesn’t mean letting them help is easy or even necessarily productive. The other day I asked the readers on my Facebook Page the following question, and between them and me… these are the answers.
What's in this post...
Cleaning the house with a toddler is like…
First of all…a stealthy ninja. Oh, my goodness. Love it!
And she’s right. Kids will migrate to where its clean and looks more fun to play… the clean stuff looks cool.
Now… no more sword fighting with the swiller.
Secondly, the job that never ends. This couldn’t be more true. Anyone with toddlers can tell ya’…
Now that song is stuck in my heard. I think I’m going to sing it next time I’m picking up the same sock off the floor for the one millionth time that day.
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Learn MoreWhat else is cleaning the house with a toddler like? Love these:
Quick sand. Yep. Been there and felt that! Lord, please help me to come out with some sanity left!
One friend said it this way: It’s like shoveling snow in a blizzard.
Or it’s like…
Yes, a tornado that involves food and clothes, and toys… oh my! The triple whammy– I often say “what in the world is this doing here?” or “how did this get in the…?”
These checklists include all the tasks that need to be done in various rooms so that your little one can use pictures or text to help them complete a group of chores in one area.
Learn MoreA toddler when it comes to cleaning house… do they get it?
One mom said that it’s like becoming a broken record, you will have to ask them repetitively in order to get your toddler to help you.
Another said it this way:
I love this one: Cleaning house with a toddler is like wishing, I had octopus arms!! And an extra washer and dryer!!
Now, ain’t that that truth! How much easier would it be to clean with 8 arms!
That’s a word picture for sure. A blender without a lid on spills and splats onto everything. In other words, there is no surface untouched.
Consequently, nothing is safe or clean or sacred… it’s all touched by the tornado toddler. Yep!
I’ve been there for sure. Have I already done that? Wait… I though I just picked that up. Haha! And I wonder sometimes If I’m loosing it…
Nope, just my toddler coming right behind me and undoing my tiding. Good times. ;)
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Learn MoreHere are some more good ones: Cleaning house with a toddler is like…
- trying to go down an escalator.
- straightening your hair with curlers in humidity!
- flipping a coin. Sometimes you get what you called and other times not.
- trying to clean a landfill.
- bad for my patience level.
- smashing your head against a brick wall.
- having a mini-assistant who keeps you laughing. :)
Check off critical household, social, and hygiene skills for your child so they’re prepared (not petrified) of growing up!
So, in short, cleaning the house with a toddler is like investing. You get nothing now and just hope for the best! Do you have any to add?
Sources:
- Involving kids in household tasks has a positive impact later in life
- Chores are associated with self-competence, self-efficacy, and prosocial behavior
- Longitudinal Harvard study shows chores are bigger predictor of good mental health as an adult (moreso than social class, family problems, and other factors)
I love your comment “But that doesn’t mean letting them help is easy or even NECESSARILY PRODUCTIVE.” I have to keep that in mind, because I somehow thought that doing chores meant getting the job done, one way or the other. I guess it really means being involved :)
Jessie, ha. Exactly. I think it’s both really, but it only actually gets done well as they’ve learned?
Great tips for keeping the cleaning down! We have a small house so toys make there way into every room which drives me crazy! We are starting the process of getting rid of toys and organizing into totes!!