As February break draws near and ideas to occupy uncharted free time are slim, here are some tips to getting the kids involved cleaning up around the house. Ask any parent the cause of their home clutter. Their near-universal answer: the children. Children have a unique gift for leaving a path of disaster in their wake. And just as universal is a child’s dislike of cleaning up. Too often pleas to clean up fall on deaf ears.Requests for children to spend time tidying up or decluttering can devolve into a shouting match with tears flowing and threats of punishment flying. And if the work gets done, chances are everyone leaves a little unhappier. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Whether it’s cleaning a room or cleaning out the house there are some strategies for getting kids to participate in the process.
Here's a look at six strategies to make the process run smooth for everyone!
Build Habits Early
When it comes to forming habits, repetition creates comfort. Habits are also developed from a young age. When it comes to good habits such as being organized or just simply cleaning up after themselves, consistency is key. If you start kids at a young age and keep things fun, they'll enjoy pitching in — it gives them a great sense of accomplishment, collaboration, independence and responsibility.
Set A Specific Time Frame
One of the beauties (or frustrations) of human language is how so much meaning can be packed into so few words. We hear what we want to hear, so vague language can and will be interpreted in a way that benefits the hearer — your kids — in a way that means they don’t have to do the work or at least not right away. Turn “Clean your room” into “Clean your room by tomorrow at 3 p.m.” Setting expectations are important.
Make Cleanup Fun
One great tactic for motivating kids to clean the house is turning it into a game, because kids want to win and be proud of themselves. Turning the cleanup process into a game makes it a bit more palatable to a child’s mind. (Maybe your budding young Kevin Durant or Kobe Bryant can see how many “shots” he can land in the rental dumpster!
Add Music
Make it a cleaning party! Music can serve as an enormous motivator. Things we don’t like to do become a little easier when we have music we enjoy while we’re doing them. Put some tunes on the stereo and let it blare throughout the house!
Take It One Step At A Time
It takes years to amass the clutter that overtakes many homes. Expecting it to disappear in one afternoon is unrealistic — and sets you up for disappointment.
Tackle one chunk of the clutter at a time… together! That might mean ordering a dumpster bin more than once, but it’s a far more manageable process and far less daunting a task than demanding the entire cleaning take place in a single day.
Show Your Appreciation
From an early age we remind our kids to say the magic words, "please" and "thank you." It's important as parents that we remember to use them too! Sure those simple words may not be enough to turn surly kids into happy household tidiers. Another great form of motivation... bribes. Maybe offering a little something extra such as an allowance, an extended curfew, or even a special experience is enough to spark their interest.
Once you've got the kids on board, give us a call and let us help you get the job done!
Check out our website for pictures of the different size bins we carry, pricing, and additional rental info.
You can contact us online or call us with any questions or if you would like to schedule a reservation for a rental.
Julie & Mike Paradise
Local Owners
978-582-1176
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