Children enjoy helping mom and dad with household activities, but often they are not allowed to participate because it's easier to do it ourselves. It takes time and patience to teach children to perform household tasks. Being a good steward, having a sense of pride, maintaining a good attitude and contributing to the family are a few of the life-lessons when training children to clean. Your attitude will greatly influence your children. With some thought and effort, training children to clean can be fun and rewarding.
Early Childhood (2 to 7 years)
This stage is a good time to begin training children to clean bathrooms. When you clean, invite the children to participate. At these ages, they still love being with you. Emptying the trash, dusting or wiping the base of the toilet and baseboards, and placing soiled bathroom towels and washcloths in the hamper are tasks that most any child can complete. Work with the child, explaining and showing him how to perform the tasks. Make cleaning enjoyable by making it into a game. Set a timer and race to see who can complete the task first. Encourage the child if he becomes frustrated, and praise him when he follows your directions and does a good job.
Middle Childhood (8 to 12 years)
A child becomes more independent during middle childhood. She is able to perform more difficult tasks, work independently and learn how to complete tasks within a specified period of time. She can handle more responsibility, so teach her how to clean bathroom mirrors, counter-tops, faucets and floors. Make a list of all the tasks that should be performed when cleaning the bathroom and have her check off each task as it is completed. This prevents nagging and constant reminders from parents about assigned chores. Inform her that her work will be checked to ensure that she has properly cleaned the room. Give her a specified time period and a timer to help her learn to work in a timely manner. Remember to compliment her on a job well done.
Adolescence (13 to 21 years)
At this stage of development, your child can do it all when it comes to cleaning the bathroom. Teach him how to clean the bathtub, sink and toilet. Since he is capable of working independently and making decisions directly related to him, give him the opportunity to choose what day of the week he would like to clean. Set parameters ahead of time. For instance, the bathroom must be cleaned before bedtime and going out on Friday night, and must have your seal of approval. If the bathroom is not cleaned by the specified time, the night out with friends is off until the task in completed to your satisfaction. This teaches him responsibility and ensures that your bathroom is clean for the weekend.
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