Managing housework is a job all on it’s own. But managing it with young children around can feel nearly impossible! Here are some tips to help reduce how daunting it can feel to manage your home will also caring for your children.
When I first got married and started keeping my own home, it was fairly simple to get into a rhythm or routine of managing the various chores in the home. It’s not hard to manage laundry when your only run a load or two a week! However, as our family has grown, the amount of things to care for has grown. There is now a significantly larger amount of laundry, more dishes, far more picking up to do, vacuuming is needed more frequently, and the list goes on. I have had to find a few things to help me in managing housework while still caring for my children and giving them a great environment to play and grow up in.
This is a post about managing housework with young children.
3 Tips for Managing Housework with Young Children
Tip #1: Establish Routines
When you look on pinterest for any tips or tricks for managing children, managing chores, caring for a newborn, etc. we often find “schedules”. We have all seen the checklists of “yearly cleaning schedule” or “weekly cleaning schedule” etc. However, these schedules can often create more stress for us as homemakers with young children in the house. This is because life with children, who are constantly changing and developing, means constantly changing schedules. It is far more effective and realistic to establish ROUTINES.
What is the difference between a routine and a schedule? Schedules are much more rigid, typically following set times of days for this to get done. Routines allow you to do the same things in the same general time frame but with more flexibility. For example, having a set day for laundry can be overwhelming if, for any reason, the laundry doesn’t get done that day. Or maybe not ALL the laundry can get done and it causes for some laundry to interfere with another big chore the next day. Instead, saying “I’ll do a load of kids laundry one day of the week, sheets and towels another day, and my husband and I’s clothes another day” makes things more flexible while still giving you a framework for your daily work.
Tip #2: Keep Things Constantly Going
The first tip kind of ties in with this next one. Using the laundry example, I try not to let a massive pile of laundry stack up to where I’m stuck doing laundry for a whole day. I try to keep loads going regularly. Usually a load every day or every other day. This ensures that we always have enough clean clothes, clean towels, etc. without me getting overwhelmed and completely worn out from too much laundry.
Smaller amounts are also easier to manage. They take less time, and thus less time that you have to put the baby down. Or less time that you are trying to do something with a toddler around.
Dishes are also a great example of this. Too many times I see homemakers getting overwhelmed with their kitchen and the pile of dishes on the table, the sink, the counter and so on. Keeping the dishes circulating through the dishwasher and the sink helps with this SO much. It takes less effort to do 3 or 4 plate with a pan after breakfast, and again after lunch, etc. than to deal with a dozen plates, multiple pans, cups, etc. in the evening. That large pile at the end of the day can also add more of a mental load because you are more tired, your kids are tired, and everything just require more from you. Mentally, and physically, it’s easier to do smaller amounts all throughout the day.
Tip #3: Include Your Children
I know. This is much easier said than done. I have a two year old and a six week old baby. Including my children is not easy. However, I often found myself getting focused on my housework and getting frustrated with my toddler getting into things around me. She wants to copy everything I am doing. I also didn’t like that I was getting frustrated about her interrupting housework and not spending time with her. Housework will always be there but this time with her is so fleeting and special. At the same time, we do need to maintain our homes. So, I found that I needed to change my viewpoint. I couldn’t expect perfection, but instead use the time I was doing my housework as a time to teach her and spend quality time with her. This not only made cleaning a bathroom a quality mother daughter time, but also reduced the amount of mischief she got into. Some ways I include her is allowing her to get clothes from the dryer while I fold them(we have a front loader), she sorts the silverware while I unload the rest of the dishes, she pushes the mop around behind me when I vacuum, she uses a wet rag to wipe the floor while I clean the bathroom, and the list goes on! She feels important, included, she’s learning, spending time with mom, and I’m RAISING her while also getting my toilet clean! It required me to be more patient and let go of expectations and perfection and just enjoy watching her learn and work.
Managing housework with young children in the house is challenging. But it is possible and doesn’t have to be overwhelming! Not every day or week looks perfect but perfection is not the goal anyway. Clean clothes, good food, a clean home and happy children are the goal.
This has been a post about managing housework with young children.