{"id":33409,"date":"2015-08-08T06:30:02","date_gmt":"2015-08-08T10:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplehomeschl.wpengine.com\/?p=33409"},"modified":"2026-01-28T16:09:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T21:09:18","slug":"stop-cleaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/stop-cleaning\/","title":{"rendered":"How I taught my kids to clean&#8230;so I could stop cleaning"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><a href=\"http:\/\/simplehomeschl.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/How-I-taught-my-kids-to-clean...so-I-could-stop-cleaning.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-33459 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/simplehomeschl.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/How-I-taught-my-kids-to-clean...so-I-could-stop-cleaning.jpg\" alt=\"How I taught my kids to clean...so I could stop cleaning\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/How-I-taught-my-kids-to-clean...so-I-could-stop-cleaning.jpg 600w, https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/How-I-taught-my-kids-to-clean...so-I-could-stop-cleaning-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nHow I taught my kids to clean so I could stop cleaning ~<br \/>\nWritten by Jamie C. Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"drop_cap\">L<\/span>ean in closer, let me\u00a0share a secret:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><em>I don&#8217;t clean too much anymore&#8230;and I love it.<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Why am I whispering? Well, I guess it doesn&#8217;t feel proper for a busy homeschooling mama to admit something like this.<\/p>\n<p><em>Prefer to listen to this post instead?<\/em><br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none;\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/18157478\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/backward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/3ebdc0\/\" width=\"100%\" height=\"90\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Over five years ago,\u00a0while reading one of the books that has become a foundational part of our homeschool, <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/amzn.to\/1Hw8D7i\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener \u201dnofollow\u201d noreferrer\"><em>Leadership Education: The Phases of Learning<\/em><\/a>,<\/strong> I came across this quote:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><em>&#8220;A significant part of Love of Learning Phase is to learn to work like an adult, thus many responsibilities can be given to Love of Learners. Still, Love of Learners need to be trained to do jobs well, so we recommend that Mom be released from any cleaning and instead be given a training and supervisory role only.&#8221; (page 121)<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>As my kids were ages five, four, and three\u00a0at the time, I&#8217;m pretty sure I snorted at this impossible and lofty way-too-far-in-the-distance aim\u00a0that seemed unlikely to ever appear\u00a0on my messy home horizon.<\/p>\n<p>But now Trishna is 11, Jonathan turns ten\u00a0on Labor Day, and Elijah is nine. Life looks different around here&#8211;far from perfect, mind you&#8211;but definitely different. And one variation\u00a0is the amount of time I spend cleaning.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Looking back, I can see we went through the following\u00a0phases of cleaning to reach\u00a0where we are now.\u00a0<\/strong><br \/>\n<!--more--><\/p>\n<h3>The Phases of Cleaning in the Martins&#8217; Home<\/h3>\n<h4>Phase I. Young kiddos = Parents clean alone<\/h4>\n<p><strong>How long this phase lasted: 5+ years\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Young children equal survival mode for parents, and cleaning isn&#8217;t the top priority.<\/p>\n<p>What is, exactly? Maybe sleep? Or the ability to take a shower? You know this phase. Solidarity, mamas and papas who are in it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>In this phase you do what you can, when you can. You clean when something strikes your attention, or come up with a method that works for you.<\/strong> <a href=\"http:\/\/flylady.net\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">FlyLady.net<\/a>\u00a0might be an option for those who find it appealing or perhaps <a href=\"http:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/the-case-for-once-a-month-cleaning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">once a month cleaning<\/a> might work well.<\/p>\n<p>In this phase you aim\u00a0for tidy and hygienic, not picture-perfect. (<em>Well, my advice is to never aim for \u00a0picture-perfect when\u00a0there is homeschooling involved!)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/simplehomeschl.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-33461\" src=\"http:\/\/simplehomeschl.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning1.jpg\" alt=\"cleaning1\" width=\"600\" height=\"425\" srcset=\"https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning1-300x213.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h4>Phase II. Getting rid of the clutter<\/h4>\n<p><strong>How long this phase lasted: 1 year<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Eventually&#8211;when toddlers turned into preschoolers&#8211;and sleep wasn&#8217;t such\u00a0a distant memory, I began to have the desire to get rid of extra stuff.<\/p>\n<p><strong>I&#8217;m beyond convinced that this\u00a0critical investment in time and energy enabled me to reach\u00a0the place I&#8217;m in now (where I no longer clean much)<\/strong>. It would be impossible for my children to adequately care for a home overflowing with clutter.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve written about <a href=\"http:\/\/www.steadymom.com\/2011\/06\/the-case-for-once-a-month-decluttering.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the case for once a month decluttering<\/a>\u00a0here\u00a0if you decide to investigate\u00a0it.<\/p>\n<h4>Phase III. Teaching my kids to clean<\/h4>\n<p><strong>How long this phase lasted: 1-2 years<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/simplehomeschl.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-33462\" src=\"http:\/\/simplehomeschl.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning2.jpg\" alt=\"cleaning2\" width=\"600\" height=\"447\" srcset=\"https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning2.jpg 600w, https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning2-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning2-260x195.jpg 260w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>When my kids were over the age of six or seven, I wanted them to learn the basics of house cleaning. Prior to this, they helped with tidying and doing little jobs here and there.<\/p>\n<p>We began. One day each week we made\u00a0that our lesson time for the day. At first I tried cleaning with them all together (<a href=\"http:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/how-to-teach-kids-to-clean\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">which I wrote about here<\/a>), but I found that chaotic.<\/p>\n<p>Instead I\u00a0worked one-on-one with each child individually in a specific\u00a0area (typically bathrooms, upstairs, or\u00a0downstairs). The other two kids would play or read individually until their turn.<\/p>\n<p><strong>By making our cleaning time\u00a0a weekly priority, I wasn&#8217;t trying to fit it in around the edges of our lives.<\/strong> I gave some of our best moments\u00a0to it, which helped me have patience during the process.<\/p>\n<h4>Phase IV. Turning the cleaning over to the kids<\/h4>\n<p><strong>How long this phase lasted: 1 year<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/simplehomeschl.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning4.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-33464\" src=\"http:\/\/simplehomeschl.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning4.jpg\" alt=\"cleaning4\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning4.jpg 600w, https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning4-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>A\u00a0year ago I started to feel the need for another change in our cleaning habits. Though I like having structure at home, I also get inwardly\u00a0restless when the same routine lasts\u00a0too long.<\/p>\n<p>As my kids got older, I also wanted to set aside our current\u00a0cleaning day for learning time instead.<\/p>\n<p>By this point\u00a0they had the basics of cleaning house down (to a child&#8217;s standard, keep in mind), so we instituted a new routine: <strong>Each morning after breakfast and read-alouds, we clean for 12 minutes.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Every\u00a0child is assigned to one area of the house: upstairs, downstairs, or kitchen. They keep this assignment for an entire season (spring, summer, fall, winter). This enables them to reach a level of mastery before switching\u00a0to a new area.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is this a perfect system?<\/strong> Uh, no.<\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;re talking about a\u00a0regular family here&#8211;meaning kids who some days don&#8217;t feel like doing their jobs <em>(and a mama who some days doesn&#8217;t want to do hers, either!)<\/em>\u00a0I also have to reduce my standards so I can be happy with the current best my children\u00a0have to offer.<\/p>\n<p><strong>But is it a good system for this season of life?<\/strong> Completely!<\/p>\n<p>Not only are my babes\u00a0learning necessary\u00a0life skills and contributing to the family, but I am freeing time for\u00a0other tasks that also bless the family&#8211;ones that I had\u00a0set aside during the\u00a0years of caring for young children.<\/p>\n<h4>Phase V. Adjusting as needed<\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/simplehomeschl.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning5.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-33465\" src=\"http:\/\/simplehomeschl.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning5.jpg\" alt=\"cleaning5\" width=\"600\" height=\"393\" srcset=\"https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning5.jpg 600w, https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/cleaning5-300x197.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>A few months ago I wrote out a list of everything I still do\u00a0around the house. I put a circle around each of those tasks that Trishna, Jonathan, or Elijah\u00a0would be capable of doing instead. This included cleaning up after dinner, making breakfast, taking over the laundry, and so on.<\/p>\n<p>I divided these jobs up, taught the children\u00a0how to complete them, and turned them loose!<\/p>\n<p>Now: Before you picture me eating cookies on the couch, or scrolling through Facebook while my awesome kiddos <em>(&amp; they really are awesome)<\/em>\u00a0work all day, rest assured that I still keep busy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Plenty of tidying up still\u00a0falls to Mama\u00a0throughout the day&#8211;tasks that need to be accomplished or helped with.<\/strong> And when we have overnight guests we all pitch in to do a longer deep clean.<\/p>\n<p>But recently, as the children do their daily 12 minute cleaning, I&#8217;ve been able to devote time to decluttering projects that have been on my imaginary to-do list for ages. It feels so satisfying to finally cross some of them off.<\/p>\n<h4>To pay or not to pay?<\/h4>\n<p>Each family will come to their own conclusion about whether or not to pay for chores.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Most of my kids&#8217; work they do without pay, but we did offer them the chance to take on an extra paid responsibility (currently $5\/month) if they wanted to.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One child is in charge of trash and recycling for the house, one child in charge of laundry, and one child lost their paying job after too much complaining.\u00a0When I feel they&#8217;re ready I will\u00a0invite this child to try again&#8211;until then they continue on with their other non-paying duties as usual.<\/p>\n<p>I remember thinking, a few years ago, that I needed to find the &#8220;one right way&#8221; to teach my kids housework\u00a0if we were to be successful. <strong>But like most things in life, I&#8217;ve found that with consistency and effort many routes can lead to the same goal.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Don&#8217;t look at this post as\u00a0a formula to follow, but just a collection\u00a0of inspiration and ideas to choose from as you find what&#8217;s right for your own family.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">*********<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/jamiecmartin.com\/introvert\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-60617\" src=\"http:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/IMG_7347-892x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"477\" height=\"548\" srcset=\"https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/IMG_7347-892x1024.jpg 892w, https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/IMG_7347-261x300.jpg 261w, https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/IMG_7347-768x882.jpg 768w, https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/IMG_7347.jpg 1115w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 477px) 100vw, 477px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you enjoyed this post, check out Jamie&#8217;s new book, <a href=\"https:\/\/jamiecmartin.com\/introvert\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Introverted Mom: Your Guide to More Calm, Less Guilt, and Quiet Joy<\/em><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em><strong>&#8220;I am thankful for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home&#8230;. I am thankful for the piles of laundry and ironing because it means my loved ones are nearby.&#8221;<br \/>\n~ Nancie J. Carmody<\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Originally posted on July 28, 2014.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/quiz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What&#8217;s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie&#8217;s quiz now<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your personality type needs most!<\/em><\/p>\n<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How I taught my kids to clean so I could stop cleaning ~ Written by Jamie C. Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool Lean in closer, let me\u00a0share a secret: I don&#8217;t clean too much anymore&#8230;and I love it. Why am I whispering? Well, I guess it doesn&#8217;t feel proper for a busy homeschooling mama to&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":33459,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[342,6],"tags":[308],"class_list":["post-33409","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-relationships","category-home-management","tag-jamie"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How I taught my kids to clean...so I could stop cleaning<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Do you wish you could have a bit more help around the house? 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