Saving Time and Energy While Teaching Responsibility.
I can honestly say that I am not the most organized person in our home. I admit that I am just as guilty of leaving things strewn about the home as my children are. As a parent though, you want to teach your kids to have some sense of organization. This skill carries a lot of weight in the simple everyday world. Not only do organized individuals seem to have better relationships, it also plays a part in being FRUGAL. Hey times are tight and by saving as much money as possible, you can still run a frugal household while remaining on a budget.
Part of being frugal with kids means that a parent needs to teach their children how to take care of the things they own. Kids learn this by picking up their belongings and storing them in appropriate places. While many parents, myself included, like to spend as little as possible on storage containers, an attractive toy box that is well made is a smart investment. Most of these boxes also double as a sitting area.
In order to save your time and energy, the child MUST clean their own mess, clearly this allows us parents more time for more important events, you know, like cleaning other areas of the home, cooking, washing laundry or *gasp* actually finding a little piece of heaven and enjoying a moment of silence while we sip a relaxing beverage and read the latest worldly happenings.
It can be a difficult task to get a child to start picking up after them self. Here are a few tricks that you might find useful when you make the decision to teach your kids the art of responsibility:
Toss The Trash
I know, you think I'm crazy, you may be thinking "I paid money for those toys, now I'm going to throw them and "save money??" Here me out. When I say toss the trash, you know I don't mean literally. I simply mean that we need to give our children a set amount of time to pick up. Depending on the amount of destruction, one might need to set a realistic time limit. I for example would need to allow several days for the toys to be picked up. (just kidding.)Remember to place any abandoned toys (toys that haven't been picked up) into the garbage bag. These toys are now "gone" and no longer available to play with for a determined amount of time.
Make a List
Try making a list of toy categories. Have the child put up the toys that fall into that category at the moment. This transforms the normal "clean up your toys" routine into a treasure hunt. After the child picks up a group of toys, have a snack or read a book before the next batch of toys are picked up.
Play Dress Up
Not with yourself or the kids, but the play area. Kids that are allowed to decorate their own personal space are more likely to take care of it. Decorate the toy box, and help them think of neat ways to make their own custom private area. A play tent or small playhouse is a good start. This allows children to believe that they have their own home inside the home, by watching the organizing skills of a parent, it could encourage organizing.
A clean and organized home is much simpler to keep frugal than one that is full of disarray. Besides, kids that clean up after them self make a good impression. What tricks do you use to get your kids to clean up?
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