Not a single day passes by that Sherilyn does not spill drinks or drops food everywhere. I have been nagging her every day on end not to be so clumsy and to stop fidgeting and moving her entire body like an octopus when she eats or drinks so that drinks will not be spilled and food will not be scattered on the floor from the dining area to the bedrooms. When she dropped seaweed and noodles everywhere on the floor the other day, I made her clean up the mess. And she didn’t think that sweeping the floor was a chore. She actually found it fun, like some kind of new entertainment and was happily sweeping the food on the floor with the broom into the dustpan.
I think kids can be trained to lend a helping hand in doing simple household chores like sweeping and moping the floor, washing toilets, folding laundry, wiping tables and chairs and changing bedsheets and all….. but don’t set too high an expectation from them. Reward them with things they like to do or food they like to eat after chores are done. I’ll definitely rope them in to help with the chores when our maid’s contract expires early next year. I will try to live without a live-in maid next year. Who knows, I will be happier and will have less stress.
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Start them young, it’ll be good for them. I started helping in the kitchen at 12 yrs old and washed my own clothes during secondary school, that’s why I’m so independent now 🙂
I have an instinct. You will be happier and coping well without a maid.
In a way….my little girl also wants to help out with household chores at times, like hanging out her own clothes, and even tried to fold her own dried laundry and bring them into the room….her cupboard is still a little too high for her to reach…
And she’s always taking the mop and pretend to mop the floor. Whenever she sees dust under the couch, she’ll get the dust-buster to vacuum it…or will tell me…”mommy, so much dust on the floor…faster vacuum”. Her father always teases me that I don’t have to whine to him to get me a maid anymore. 😉
HFM,
You are definitely taking the right approach with having her clean up after herself. My gals are both extremely messy but for some reason, my 8 year old is worse! I can’t understand why my firstborn is THE messy one. She should be setting the example. I’ve done what you have as well, I have both gals wash their own plates, bibs, and clean the table (or floor), etc. after every meal as a routine.
Great idea! S may think it is fun but soon the novelty will wear off and maybe she will learn to be less messy. Remember when we first learned to drive and was volunteering to drive everybody?? Now, I’d rather be a passenger!
oh yes..they can certainly be trained esp when mommy becomes the maid at home & nid cooperation frm everyone at home to play their parts. at least to maintain their own roles. ever since the “alien” left us..hub n myself hv been getting ‘kuli percuma” frm the kids n discipline them to help out..No more KakaK this kakak tat. but the reward is more fmly bonding when doing the laundry, & cleaning the house. Good luck ..u can do it mommy cz ur girls are certainlymore obedient than my boys I guess. My youngest one is the most obligeable one.
good to start young! hehehe…
i do agree with you that we shld start training the kids to do simple household chores when they are young. more so, on simple things such as washing the cup after drinking, putting the plate into the sink, etc