“Give the ones you love wings to fly, roots to come back, and reasons to stay.” —Dalai Lama.
The goal of parenting is to provide both roots and wings for your kids.
Roots to know where they came from, and wings to make the most of their lives when they leave.
To accomplish that, here are 15 cleaning tasks to teach your kids that will help them create a peaceful, stable, and life-giving home in the future.
1. Make beds.
And change the sheets.
2. Put away their own stuff.
For best results, start at a young age teaching kids everything has a home.
3. Wash and fold laundry.
Whites, darks, lights, delicates. Wash, dry, fold, and put away.
4. Clean toilets.
Not the most enjoyable cleaning task in the world, but an essential one for cleanliness and health.
5. Wash the dishes.
Both by hand and the dishwasher.
6. Take out the trash.
7. Vacuum.
They don’t have to be able to spell it, but they need to know how to do it.
8. Mopping.
Don’t overlook this.
8. Cleaning surfaces.
Dusting, sure. But also countertops, tabletops, and stovetops.
9. Declutter.
Teach them early how to declutter the things they don’t need. Whether that be toys, clothes, collections, or artwork.
10. Scrub the bathtub and shower.
In fact, if you need a refresher, here you go.
11. Wash the car.
Both exterior and interior.
12. Pet care.
13. Wash windows.
Again, if you need a refresher, here you go.
14. Clean out the fridge/expired foods.
Teach your kids what to look for and how you make these decisions.
15. Clean the blinds and/or window treatments.
And if you’re wondering what chores are age-appropriate for kids to get started around the house, WebMD has a helpful breakdown that I think is entirely appropriate.
