Home Organizing
Looking to Keep Your Kids Busy?
Do you remember growing up and having a list of chores to do every summer between school years? If not, I can probably guess the type of life you lived. And while I could be wrong on a few accounts, there were always the kids who did chores for their parents and those who didn’t. Let me tell you: I can probably spot that difference just by your attitude and approach to life.
For me, chores happened pretty often as a kid. It helped my parents out and kept me busy during my long and empty days of summer vacation between school years. I didn’t like them at the time, but I’m sure glad I had to do them now that I look back and realize all the things that hard work ended up teaching me. While it certainly didn’t score me any money, I do know some of my friends’ parents would often leave cash for their kids if they got chores done around the house.
And of course, some chores were easier than others. But because of that, I actually ended up enjoying some more than others for whatever reason. Perhaps they were easier, or perhaps they were methodical and almost meditative.
No matter the case, check out this list to get your kids helping around the house so you’re not always stressed about when you’re going to get the laundry or floors done next.
Put loose items up
This is honestly the most helpful way of getting the house tidied up and looking nice compared to the other options. The only problem is making sure your kids know where you want certain items and how you group together specific things in specific boxes. I always like to use leftover shipping boxes to pick up around my home, so I’d advise you have your kids do the same. And hey, if you don’t happen to have any shipping boxes laying around, you still can have your kids put things in plastic bags or laundry baskets to get things picked up and looking better.
Wipe down the windows
I always loved getting assigned this chore when I was young, if only because it was quicker to do. But let me tell you what: you can put this on the chore list multiple times a week, especially since you know that their grubby hands will be on the windows or screen doors again eventually. They won’t hate this though, and you’ll love having transparent panes of glass.
Load the dishwasher
Loading the dishwasher is a lot easier of a task that you can have your kids do if you don’t think they’re ready to perfectly clean all your dishes by hand. But remind them to handwash at least 60% of the dishes since the dishwasher isn’t specifically for cleaning off caked on food particles. It’s better to get them in these good habits now instead of learning after multiple unsuccessful dishwasher cycles.