I am preparing myself to have our fourth baby in hopefully less than 5 weeks. I am a little nervous about the extra work load that will come about when this new little one arrives, so I have been focusing on teaching all three of our kids how to help more around the house. The girls have assured me that they will take good care of this new baby, so I can focus more on Easton. I think they got it a little mixed around. I don’t have any rewards in place for my kids helping…I guess I just feel that if they are a part of this family they need to help out for free. For many of the tasks they work as a team, for others, they are on their own. If you are looking for ways that your kids can help out more around the house, maybe this list will provide you with a few ideas. Jocelyn is 5 yrs old, Katelyn 3, and Easton 1 ½.
- emptying trashes around the house
- setting the table
- clearing the table after meals
- cleaning their table spaces
- gathering laundry around the house
- sorting laundry by whites/darks
- putting away their laundry
- getting dressed by themselves after I pick out their outfits
- getting their own shoes on and off
- get breakfast ready in the morning, setting Easton’s cereal and sippy cup out in the morning
- getting Easton out of bed in the morning and from naps
- sweeping the floors under the table after meals
- strapping themselves in their carseats
- getting diapers/wipes for Easton
- dusting furniture
- Make their beds
- brush their own hair and teeth
- cleaning up room/toy room, and living room
- helping with meals (measuring, stirring, pouring, reading directions).
By themselves:
Katelyn: sorting out socks and underwear after laundry is washed and getting in and out of her carseat by herself.
Jocelyn: making sandwiches, getting Easton in the car and strapped/unstrapped, helping clean bathroom sinks and floors, getting toothbrushes ready for everyone
Easton: throw things (that are trash) in the trash, fetch things like diapers and Kleenexes, picking up toys
I am finding just these little things really help out. Yes, I have to verbally tell them to do most of these things, but my goal is for all of our kids to be little helpers around the house so I can focus more on the big things that need to get done. I always *try* to praise them after they do something on their own and let them know how much I appreciate them being a "little helper."
Sean says I should look into hiring someone at least once after I have the baby to come clean…why pay money for someone else to come in when I have three kids who will help for free!!:)
Any other ideas of what my kids can be doing to help out at such a young age?
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