Page 16 - Inspire Health March/April 2015
P. 16
mighty kids penny. At the end of the day, let her
trade her pennies in for something
SPRING CLEANING? you’ve agreed on beforehand.The
WITH YOUR KIDS?? reward could be hugs or cookies to
favorite activities or later bedtimes.
IT CAN BE DONE
FOCUSED
Yes, ByMichelleRobertPoche Ever feel overwhelmed at the
S“yo"uCrlieskbailednifksoineraegsrhieytoovssutet-irollpilnPhsggohsrunoytswohelwleiiwnsinwghDgai.iul"lleplk”er idea of cleaning your whole house
pring time. It’s the season in one fell swoop? That’s how
of blooming flowers. It’s your child feels when he’s met
the season of white pants. with the simple direction of “clean
And it’s the season of cleaning. your room.”Times ten. Instead, try
That’s probably why they call it suggesting that he tackle just the
spring cleaning. And, contrary to the bookshelf or a certain drawer. If it
above quote from Diller, you can goes quickly, you can always add
successfully clean your house while more … in small bites, of course.
your kids are young.With a little FAIR
ingenuity, they can even help. Every child collects something.
Please allow me to introduce And before you know it, these
you to the 4Fs of Cleaning with Kids. action figures, books or Barbie
FUN dolls will plot to take over the
Put on some music and try to bedroom, the playroom or even
complete a different task before the whole house. At my house, it’s
each song ends. If you finish early, stuffed animals. Because they’re all
dance it out until the last note. Not “important,” I can’t sift through them
only is it a great motivator, you and without my daughter’s two cents.
your child will also get in some So, we have a (variable) system. For
exercise together. every five animals she keeps, she
If the room is totally trashed, must give away one to Goodwill.
try color-coding the cleaning Not only does it help us pare
process.“First, pick up everything down, it also gets everything better
that is … red. Go!”Then, do blue, categorized for next time.
green, yellow and so on. Before The important thing to
you know it, your rainbow of toys remember is that spring lasts
will all be put away. from March until June. So that
FAST means, technically, you have three
Consider the age of your child whole months to get every closet,
and set a timer to complete a cabinet, counter, bin, chest, shelf,
certain job. Generally speaking, a drawer, nook and cranny cleaned
couple of minutes per year of age is up. Of course, after all that hard
a good rule of thumb.Then, every work, don’t forget to get outside
time she gets something done in with your little people to enjoy
the allotted time frame, give her a all of the sunshine, warmer
temperatures and new greenery
nature offers us this time of year.
HAPPY CLEANING,
EVERYONE!
16 INSPIRE HEALTH March § April 2015
trade her pennies in for something
SPRING CLEANING? you’ve agreed on beforehand.The
WITH YOUR KIDS?? reward could be hugs or cookies to
favorite activities or later bedtimes.
IT CAN BE DONE
FOCUSED
Yes, ByMichelleRobertPoche Ever feel overwhelmed at the
S“yo"uCrlieskbailednifksoineraegsrhieytoovssutet-irollpilnPhsggohsrunoytswohelwleiiwnsinwghDgai.iul"lleplk”er idea of cleaning your whole house
pring time. It’s the season in one fell swoop? That’s how
of blooming flowers. It’s your child feels when he’s met
the season of white pants. with the simple direction of “clean
And it’s the season of cleaning. your room.”Times ten. Instead, try
That’s probably why they call it suggesting that he tackle just the
spring cleaning. And, contrary to the bookshelf or a certain drawer. If it
above quote from Diller, you can goes quickly, you can always add
successfully clean your house while more … in small bites, of course.
your kids are young.With a little FAIR
ingenuity, they can even help. Every child collects something.
Please allow me to introduce And before you know it, these
you to the 4Fs of Cleaning with Kids. action figures, books or Barbie
FUN dolls will plot to take over the
Put on some music and try to bedroom, the playroom or even
complete a different task before the whole house. At my house, it’s
each song ends. If you finish early, stuffed animals. Because they’re all
dance it out until the last note. Not “important,” I can’t sift through them
only is it a great motivator, you and without my daughter’s two cents.
your child will also get in some So, we have a (variable) system. For
exercise together. every five animals she keeps, she
If the room is totally trashed, must give away one to Goodwill.
try color-coding the cleaning Not only does it help us pare
process.“First, pick up everything down, it also gets everything better
that is … red. Go!”Then, do blue, categorized for next time.
green, yellow and so on. Before The important thing to
you know it, your rainbow of toys remember is that spring lasts
will all be put away. from March until June. So that
FAST means, technically, you have three
Consider the age of your child whole months to get every closet,
and set a timer to complete a cabinet, counter, bin, chest, shelf,
certain job. Generally speaking, a drawer, nook and cranny cleaned
couple of minutes per year of age is up. Of course, after all that hard
a good rule of thumb.Then, every work, don’t forget to get outside
time she gets something done in with your little people to enjoy
the allotted time frame, give her a all of the sunshine, warmer
temperatures and new greenery
nature offers us this time of year.
HAPPY CLEANING,
EVERYONE!
16 INSPIRE HEALTH March § April 2015
