THURSDAYS: Health ideas and Issues

I remember a record we used to listen to when I was really young that had a song about housework. It went like this:

“Mommy hates housework, Daddy hates housework, everyone hates housework, but we all do it anyway.”

My mom hated that song!  She said she liked housework and it doesn’t have to be drudgery.  She may have been fibbing a little, but as a result, I actually LIKE housework (except laundry that is). 

What messages are you sending to your kids about housework?  Do they think its drudgery, or do they consider a necessary part of life, with great rewards.

Keeping our house clean goes way beyond trying to impress the neighbors.   Its actually good for the kids health, both physically and mentally.  There are health benefits to having a clean house AND mental benefits to getting your kids to pitch in.

• Keep the germs out! Disease causing bacteria is EVERYWHERE!   We are not germophobic in the least (as illustrated by the picture of Ketchup boy above at 1 years old eating dirt), however it is prudent to clean up where you know bacteria resides.  The most bacteria in a person’s home is on the door knobs.  This is a job all three of my kids are capable of doing.  Spray a cloth with a disinfectant spray and let them go from room to room with it.  The second place is the light switch plates.  This simple task, performed often will cut back on colds and flu’s.
• Prevent injury!  Keeping your home clean helps keep your kids safe!  Have they ever stumbled over a pile of clothes, and then hit their head on the corner of a table?  Pick up stuff!
• Allergens are flying around everywhere.  Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum.  Keep the sheets and mattresses cleaned and vacuumed too to remove dust mites, dead skin, and other allergy causing things you can’t see.
• Cleaning saves you money.  When you have a clean home, you know where things are and don’t have to go out buying duplicates.
• The Mental benefits of a clean house seem obvious to me.  There is peace, calm, happiness and joy with a clean house.  Keep the shades open, the home bright, they chaos under control, and your kids are more pleasant.

Here is how we keep our house under control:

1. We all pitch in.  From a very young age your child can have jobs and chores.  Working side by side with your kids helps them to know what you expect, teaches them to do it right, and gives you time with that child.
2. The kids know the one touch rule.  Why put a wrapper on the floor when it would have been easier to put it in the garbage.  The floor, THEN the garbage takes more energy.
3. Picking up every night.  Cleaning up the clutter every night is part of a routine.  When you wake up to a clean house, your day seems to go much more smoothly.  You can find your school clothes, school work, books, etc.
4. Once a week deep clean.  Ususally Saturdays we all pitch in to clean something with more intensity.  Bathrooms, floors, walls, floor boards etc.
5. My kids have expected work… unload dishwasher, empty garbages, clean room, make bed, laundry.  But when they want some extra money or more video game time I’ve got:  weeding, dusting, windows, window tracks, etc.  Jobs we don’t even get done weekly, but I save for money jobs.

Any suggestions of what works in your homes to keep things clean?