Baby Sized Chores

DB's been super into "helping" recently. While it can be very tempting to try and distract him so I can do housework faster, I want to help him grow into a person who does chores easily and without separation from everyday life. I want to foster his desire to keep helping others all the time. For reference, DB's 19 months old, every child is different, but it's a pretty great age to start some consistent helping chores around the house, according to your child's interest and ability. You don't want to make them miserable! DB is highly motivated by my frequent "thank you's" , time with me, and the learning and play aspect of doing these chores together. I'm going to compile mini lists of the chores DB seems to really enjoy/excel at, and I'm starting with this list of 10, some for every type of chore, every area of the home.

Laundry:
1. Sorting colors. Now that DB has his colors down really well, this is a great one. We also use it as an opportunity to remember types of clothes.

2. Moving wet clothes to the dryer. We have a top loading washer and a front loading dryer, I hand him a few pieces at a time and he tosses them in for me.

3. Handing me Hangers. before putting clothes away, I put a pile of empty hangers out in the floor, and get the laundry basket a good 8 to 10 feet away so he has to go a little way to get them. He enjoys bringing me one at a time, and it keeps him busy enough that he's not unfolding all the folded items. (which was his hobby before I invented this one)

Floors:
4. Using the vacuum attachment to get under sofas, in the cushions, and around window sills if they are reachable. My son loves the vacuum, so this is a big treat for him, but not for all kids, some may not like the noise.

5. For hard floors, wiping down the baseboards. When in doubt, hand them a damp washcloth. I show him where I like help cleaning and he cleans it, mostly, but if it doesn't get done or he gets distracted and starts wiping down everything else, I don't mind. I got time to get the floor swept/mopped and a few things got semi wiped down. Win win!

Bathroom:
6. Damp washcloth again, I ask him to wipe down his training potty (since I've already cleaned it each time it's used, he doesn't need to be thorough), walls, and cabinets. just enough time for me to do a quick commode scrub, vinegar on the faucets, and a mirror shine. Then he can help me when I start on the tub, me with a magic eraser, him with his damp cloth.

Kitchen:
7. Putting away dishes. Nonbreakables, of course. I make sure there's nothing in the lower level of the dishwasher that's breakable, and I unlatch all the necessary cabinets and direct him where to place things like pot lids, tupperware, dish lids, measuring cups, measuring bowls, silicon baking pans, utensils (I lower the crock for him to put them into). Usually I can get most of the other things put away while he's asking questions and organizing bowls.

8. Wiping up spills. DB's learning to drink without a lid on his cup, so he spills often. I definitely clean them up when I need to, but usually, I hand him a cloth and ask him to wipe up. It's not a punishment, it's just what we all have to do when we spill something. He enjoys it, for now, and not enough to spill on purpose.

9. Simple Food Prep. DB's favorites include: mashing fruit like bananas and mangoes, snapping fresh green beans for me, I just check for stems as he hands me the pieces, throwing my chopped ingredients into a pot/bowl, using a plastic butter knife, "cutting" soft things or scraps I don't intend to use. Measuring things like rice, flour, grains, etc, using a spoon to fill a larger measuring cup. Using coconut oil to oil a cake pan or cookie sheet, coconut oil is perfect because we just rub it into our hands when we're done, not washing it off like shortening, which is yucky anyway and a pain to clean up.

Playroom/Play Area:
10. CLEAN UP! Ok, this one has to be turned into a game. When I present an empty canvas bin, and name a particular toy or colored item, DB gets really excited to find all of them and place them away. It works nicely. Just focus on one thing at a time, for example, I say, "Help me stack all the books right here, please!" and place a book on the sofa. When all the books are put away, we highfive and start a new project, like putting all the cars into this box or all the blocks in that bin. If the toys are not as easily categorized, I put a box out for green toys, and after he finds them all, I sort them more finely. It's the principal that matters, learning to clean up our messes.

Remember, plenty of Thank You's, and keep it fun, specific, and simple. As long as it's a game, it's building positive responses to doing small housework. It's laying a foundation for the future. They're still babies, don't sweat it too much. :) Have fun with your new cleaning buddies!