Motivating Kids Toward Green Cleaning Habits

The structure of a new school season is the perfect time to motivate your children towards weekly, green cleaning routines.  One of the great reasons to use Brightly Green Concentrate Cleaners is how safe they are around children.  Brightly Green Concentrate Cleaners are non-toxic and safe household cleaners!  No worries of harmful chemicals getting into your child's eyes, lungs or skin. 
There are two basic components kids need to help with around the house, namely their personal belongings /space and shared spaces. Personal belongings/space consists of the cleanup of their bedrooms; toys, games, books, clothes, and papers lying around their bedroom and beyond.  Shared spaces are the bathrooms, kitchen, family room, etc. 

Proper green cleaning instruction should begin at an early age.  It would not be unreasonable to say that a child as young as 18 months could pick up his/hers toys with parental assistance.  Cleaning one's home is a necessity of life!  So how do we motivate our children towards proper home cleanup?  Keep reading for our practical suggestions.

Motivational tips to help your children stick with weekly green cleanup tasks.

1. MOTIVATE THROUGH SIMPLICITY:  Have real and clearly defined expectations

To one child, "Go clean your room," makes sense and is followed through from start to finish within a reasonable amount of time.

To another child that same request, "Go clean your room," will result in two items picked up off the floor an hour later.  Frustrations mount between you and that child and you wonder, what is wrong?

The problem:  On the surface the request, "go clean your room" may appear simple but it can actually be quite a daunting request.  For a child who struggles with order and follow-through he/she may become overwhelmed simply because the request was too vague.  He/she may not know how or where to begin cleaning the bedroom and so will pick at it slowly.  This results in both you and your child growing frustrated.

Instead of requesting he/she "goes and cleans the room" try it this way, "pick up your toys and put them where they belong by "X" amount of time."  You have just represented the desired task to be accomplished in a simplified, yet clearly defined manner.  If your child still procrastinates, you will probably want to give some other incentives or consequences for the task.  One other word of caution, be careful not to lump multiple requests together.  Allow your child to complete one simple request at a time. 

2. MOTIVATE THROUGH NOT TALKING! 

Our child are awesome at hearing a conversation taking place in another room and yet cannot seem to hear mom or dad ask them to clean up around the house.

How is that possible?  It's selective listening!  They hear what they want to hear.  Taking your voice out of the process forces them to pay attention and really listen.

When possible, write chores out and have either assign them or have your children pick out which they want to do.  There are several creative ways to write them out:

-on a chalkboard and the kids cross them off once completed.

- on ping-pong balls:  write out one chore per ball and place balls in a basket.  Each child picks one ball and completes the task then gets another ball and completes that task.  Turn it into a game: the child who completes the most chores in a given amount of time is the winner and can select a prize.  Prizes may include a no-chore day, movie night, etc.

-on colored craft sticks.  Children choose a designated amount of sticks and complete those chores.  Turning in the sticks to mom or dad when chores are completed.  Again you can give a reward out to the one who completes them first (provided the chores are done "up to par").

For more information about Brightly Green Concentrate Cleaners click the link. 

Special savings found on our Home Store Page!

If you are looking for scent-free household cleaners—

check out Brightly Green's sister line Baby Harmony

Baby Harmony Cleaners contain no essential oil scents & are 

 even milder yet effective, safe for baby green cleaner.

 

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