Getting Organized: Housework 101

Written by Barbara Curtis

Ask anyone with 12 kids. Guaranteed first question: “Are those all your kids?” Most often second: "How in the world do you manage?"

In all modesty, I must admit, we prolific parents started with only one ourselves. We’ve just had more time to figure things out—and more pressure. While it's no secret that big families often run more efficiently, we’d be the first to admit we're not smarter. Just more desperate.

After all, we're outnumbered.

In any case, it’s probably true that even the smallest family can use big-family techniques to make their own lives more manageable.

Try a Team Approach

Housework is a family thing. When it’s time to clean, get everyone involved—really involved. I give my kids a chance to choose what they're going to do: "I'll vacuum upstairs," "I'll sweep and dust," "I'll clean the kitchen," and then turn them loose. When they balk, I give assignments.

Start early. Give your toddler a dust cloth; it will keep him busy by your side, rather than dumping Cheerios on the kitchen floor!

Four Questions

I can’t, and don’t want to, do it all myself. So I subject each household chore to four simple questions:

1. Can a child do it himself?

Is your child able to dress himself? To clean his room? To clean up his own place after breakfast? Then he should.

2. Can someone younger do it?

There are chores even the smallest can do. Don't ask your eight-year-old to bring a diaper for the baby if your three-year-old is around. Barbara’s rule of thumb: Delegate any task to the youngest capable of doing it.

3. Can it be done differently?

You may have grown up with a mother so perfect she ironed the sheets. Or maybe someone down the street did and you wondered why your mother didn't. Anywhere along the line you may have picked up some frustrating ideas of perfection. Drop them as fast as you can.

4. Does it need to be done at all?

If the dishes can air-dry and be put away the next morning, let them. And so on.

Important Guidelines

Grit your teeth and lower your standards. Decide in advance to receive each child's personal best as though it were the best. But even as you lower your standards to accommodate your child’s best effort, I urge you to raise your expectations of your children's attitude toward work.

Teach your child that all work is noble. That means cleaning a bathroom, if done in the proper spirit, is as important as negotiating a peace treaty. Nothing will convince them like your own attitude.

If you start the team approach when your child is young, you’ll have few problems later on. But it’s never too late. Just make up your mind, resist any resistance, and hide the keys or remote control until the house is clean.

I promise you that by following these guidelines and by letting your child know that he is needed and appreciated for the contribution he makes at home, you will be rewarded with a child who grows in competence and confidence.

In my estimation, ten minutes helping Mom will build more self-esteem than a week of watching Barney. And just think of the relief you’d feel if you never had to see a purple dinosaur again!

Barbara and husband Tripp live in Waterford, Virginia, with 10 of their 12 children. Their two oldest daughters live nearby, homeschooling eight grandchildren. Barbara began homeschooling six children in 1993, but after six years began taking a year-by-year approach, seeking God’s direction for each child to complete his/her education.

Related Articles: