Oh the two ‘C’ words that I dread the most: cleaning and cooking. They are the two things in my house which take up a lot of time, drive me bonkers, and leave me feeling stressed when they don’t get done.

Over the years I have tried many things to get these two items done each day that just haven’t seemed to work. It’s hard to find the time and balance to get all the cleaning and cooking done in a day.

I want to share what is working for me ‘right now’ that has seemed to cut back on my anxiety for these chores. At the end of the day this has even made them easier to complete.

Cleaning– Seriously, the thing that is always on that silly list. Clean, clean, clean. I feel so guilty cleaning when my kids are awake. I feel like I should spend all that evening time after work devoted to them. For a while I was trying to just clean when they napped, or even worse when they were in bed. So I would be spending my free nights cleaning: yuck!

I have found a balance that works, for now. I have a cleaning list that goes day by day. So Mondays are cleaning the kitchen, Tuesdays the bedrooms, Wednesdays the playroom. Etc. I also make sure to do one load of laundry everyday.

Sometimes the laundry doesn’t make it out of the dryer, but hey that’s okay. I feel like breaking the cleaning schedule down day by day has helped so much. I also try and do this cleaning as soon as I get home from work.

I have my older kiddo do her homework while I clean and my younger child does his “homework” with her at the table. For him, I have him color, stamp, or do puzzles while I am busy. Sometimes it works better if he follows me around and helps, just depends on the day. If it is a no-homework day, I have both kids help me clean. They can either clean their playroom together or work with me in the room I’m trying to get done.

Let your children help clean! You know those baseboards that are super low to the ground? Those are perfect for children to reach and wipe down with a wet rag. Make it a fun game, turn on music and have ‘cleaning dance parties’, let them be apart of keeping their house nice and gain some of that responsibility.

Cooking– Oh! I know my list is full of the list that has the list of what to get for dinner. (Hahaha!) Some nights are not as busy and there is time to fully cook a meal and have it on the table by 5:30. On those nights, take the time and let your child help you!

Even the young kiddos can hold a spoon and stir, teach them about cooking and learning about different foods. Invest in this time to help them develop a love of cooking. Cooking with your children is such a wonderful time for conversation and connection!

Those other crazy nights when the schedule is full and it can feel like a marathon trying to keep everyone happy? I advise you to invest in a crockpot! The crockpot is a game changer. You get your ingredients and toss them in before work and dinner is done when you get home! So easy and simple.

There are a ton of recipes online for crockpot meals; a quick Google search will hit you the jackpot! But, if you are like me, I hate cooking ‘new’ things and I like a tried and true recipe that someone has recommended.

A fun and easy way to get those recipes is to have your co-workers, mom group, church people, etc. do a recipe swap. Have each person in your group print off enough copies of their favorite crockpot recipe for everyone and exchange! You make 20 copies of your favorite crockpot recipe and then you get 20 new recipes back! So easy and it’s a little fun to see what everyone brings!

Bottom line, don’t stress about the cleaning and cooking! Find ways to make it easier on you and your family. Find what works for YOU! Get the entire family involved in these chores so that you are working together, laughing, spending time with one another!

-Ms. Whitney
Pre-Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Curriculum Coordinator

I see more growth in a few weeks by making the children in my classroom do things for themselves than anyone would see making these kiddos watch what we are doing for them. For you to fully grasp this you need a huge helping of patience. Yes it’s going to take more time, so make more time for it to happen.

Depending on the age of your child allow for appropriate lengths of time for them to simply struggle. I know that can sound so mean, but just do it. When they ask you to zip their coat say, “You try first” or “I bet you can do it better”. Let them try, let their little brows furrow, let them get a little mad. Often that is just the push they needed to do the task. That frustration immediately flips to total elation! This is something you definitely do not want to miss. That moment when they say “I did it!”

Now I am not talking about independence without limits. Children need limits and choices (all of which you are willing to accept). We are not giving them free reign to do as they please. You are not letting them decide if they are going to have spaghetti or candy for dinner. Instead, you are offering to let them help with the dinner process, serve their own plate, pour their own drink, and eat by themselves. Support them in their efforts. If they make a mess, give them the tools to clean it up and try again.

All kiddos of a certain age (some born this way) all want their independence. They want to pick out their clothes, and help clean, fix, and make things around the house. They want their voice to be heard, just in the same way that we do as adults. Things that we may find boring, is a huge step for a child. Taking the time to let your child do the little things will make your days go smoother and have children that are self-confident and full of pride for their accomplishments.

Letting them do the little things now, is preparing them for the bigger things later. If you always do everything for your child how can you expect them to grow into young adults who are going to make decisions about their future? Let’s put it this way, do you want a child who sets the world on fire and goes down in history doing something great, or a couch potato who relies on you to cook them dinner and do their laundry because they simply never had to learn for themselves? Give them that initial push to start making decision and making things happen. Give them self confidence that they can build on for the rest of their lives. And it all starts with putting that shoe on all by themselves.

-Ms. Brooke
Early Literacy Coordinator
Curriculum Coordinator
Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher