Every day for most of the year, the children came running through the door in the afternoon. You’ve got all day to do any cleaning without worrying about pattering feet, arguments and the inevitable “I need…” Suddenly, that’s all gone. They’re home to eat, drink and be demanding. How can you manage to keep the house clean when they’re determined to tear it up and keep you busy?
Keep Them Busy
Society knows the difficulty summer can be for stay-at-home parents and devised numerous ways to keep them busy throughout the day. Many towns have public pools and parks that they can go to for hours and have fun. Several groups host camps and libraries often have reading activities. There’s so much to do and all designed to keep them busy and give you time to get things done. Many of these require you to register ahead of time, so try to get it done as soon as possible. Remember, you’re not trying to get rid of them, you’re giving them the opportunity to have new experiences.
Get Them Involved
I remember one day, I had the children working on the living room. They had this amazing ability to use every dish available and leave them throughout the living room, so they had to clean it. When it was all done, the living room was cleaned and the dishes were done and put away. They were sweaty. If anyone tried to put a dish in the living room, they jumped on them like a puma on a wounded elk, telling them to get that dish back the sink…better yet…clean it. It lasted about three days, but then they had to clean it again. They weren’t happy, but it sure made the job easier.
Make is a mix of Work and Play
I joke about the kids being a pain over the summer, but it’s a great time to spend time with them and enjoy them while they’re still kids. It won’t be too long before their lives are just like yours, so let them learn responsibility, but also have fun. Have them work on something in the house and then everyone goes out for ice cream or play ball in the backyard. They’re not the only ones that deserves a little playtime.
Better yet, leave it all to us so you can enjoy the summer just as much as the kids. Contact us for a free estimate today.