Sharing the workload

Last week I was doing a "deep cleaning" in my front room. It had been so long since I had done more than a quick clean that cobwebs were starting to form in the corners. :) Enough was enough! It was time for one room in my home to be really clean! I decided to focus on cleaning the front room and got out the cleaning gear.

My kids had already done their basic chores and were outside playing. As I cleaned the ceiling fan, dusted the blinds, washed the windows, and cleaned the baseboards I realized that my kids didn't know how to do a deep cleaning, let alone know anyone ever did this. They do their basic chores, but I had never showed them how to go through a room from top to bottom. This was my job...right? Well it reminded me of something a mom once told me. “If you have teenagers and you are still doing housework, you have missed your promotion.” I was definitely not headed towards a promotion anytime soon! I still do the majority of work around the house...and most if it goes unnoticed and unappreciated.

I came up with an idea that we are going to start next month. I have three girls and each month we will pick three rooms to deep clean. One week a month I will have one child help me. We will focus on one room and really do a deep cleaning. This will be a teaching time and opportunity to focus on developing the skills of one child. By the end of the year I am hoping my girls will learn what it takes to keep a home clean and realize that their basic chores are not the only cleaning jobs to be done each month. This may help my kids learn "attention to detail" and develop skill that will help them when they are in their own homes.

Do you have an idea you would like to try? We would like to hear from you.

Do you have a helpful parenting tip that has worked for your family? Please share.