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One of the most useful things I realized about cleaning is that I hate it, so there is no way I can say it is easy and expect
my kids to do it without complaint. But if I do it in small steps and get them to help in mini steps I can get it done, usually
with little or no complaint.
The Timer
I learned from flylady, a timer can really help. I set one for 10 minutes and ask my kids to clean one room, if they finish
they get a truck (we use the truck method for discipline, link on left) if they do not they lose a truck. This means all
rooms get done in 10 minutes, and since we do it so often this is not a problem. We then set the timer for 10 more to do
another room. (or if we failed we stick with the first room) This means my entire house can be cleaned in under an hour,
(small house) and usually a lot less, when my husband is home, one of us helps the kids and the other does the kitchen. (yes
the parent in the kitchen has to keep under 10 minutes too)
How often should you clean?
That depends on you, for me and my family we clean twice a day or more, but since it only takes 10 minutes tops it doesn't
feel like we are doing a dreaded huge task, just a quick spruce up before lunch or bedtime.
Some familys prefer to do it only once a day, some just put the toys away as they go, with a weekly spruce up. Whatever
you do, make sure you are not to cranky inbetween or thinking it is a HUGE task, if you think it is HUGE your kids think it
is the size of MT EVEREST and will behave accordingly.
Too Many Toys!
Flylady
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