Keeping Your Business and Home Clean

If you've hired a cleaning service, and your kids now think they don't need to clean, it's time to take matters into your own hands. It can be difficult for kids to understand the need for them to clean when you pay someone else to do the main cleaning. However, even with a cleaning service, it's still important for your kids to clean up their own messes – and their bedrooms. If your kids are struggling with chores, here are four tips that will help them get with the cleaning program.

Enforce the Buddy System

No one wants to clean up all by themselves. That's where the buddy system comes in handy. When it's time for your kids to get busy with the chores, assign – and enforce – the buddy system. Assign teams of two to tackle specific chores. When they're done, have them come and report so you can sign off on the effort. This will also give you the opportunity to provide constructive help on how they could do the job better next time.

Instill Personal Responsibility

Buddy systems are great, but if one person isn't putting forth their share of the effort, the other member of the team can be left holding the bag – and doing the bulk of the work. If you're using the buddy system, and one child doing most of the work, let them take a break while the other one finishes up. This will show that hard work is rewarded.

Make Cleaning Fun

Cleaning is a chore, but it doesn't have to be. To help your kids get motivated to clean, make cleaning fun. The first thing you can do is turn on the music. Let your kids take turns picking the music they'll listen to. Next, plan speed rounds. Choose specific tasks and assign a time limit for them. The first person done gets to choose the next round of music, or choose the chore they'll be assigned to next time. Teaching kids that cleaning doesn't need to be a mundane chore will help them get excited about about keeping things clean and tidy.

Reward Service Above and Beyond

Kids love to be rewarded. If you've decided against paying your children to do their chores, you can still reward service that goes above and beyond. If you see your kids picking up something that's not on their chore list, take a moment to acknowledge it. You don't have to give them a tangible reward; just a few words of encouragement will go a long way.

Just because you've hired a cleaning service, doesn't mean your kids get out of chores. Use the tips provided here to get them involved in keeping the house clean in between visits by the green cleaning service.