Haring Realty Blog
RSS Feed
Subscribe and receive email notifications of new blog posts.
RSS Feed
- 2024 | 10 Posts
- 2023 | 48 Posts
- 2022 | 48 Posts
- 2021 | 48 Posts
- 2020 | 49 Posts
- 2019 | 46 Posts
- 2018 | 52 Posts
- 2017 | 110 Posts
- 2016 | 78 Posts
- 2015 | 7 Posts
Area News and Information | 16 Posts
Ashland Ohio | 2 Posts
Bellville Ohio | 3 Posts
Buy a House | 56 Posts
Community | 2 Posts
Distressed Properties | 9 Posts
Finance | 2 Posts
Galion Ohio | 1 Posts
Haring Realty | 1 Posts
Home Maintenance | 13 Posts
Home Maintenance Tips | 10 Posts
Homeownership | 109 Posts
Housing Market | 32 Posts
Housing Market | 89 Posts
Lexington Ohio | 2 Posts
Lucas Ohio | 2 Posts
Mansfield Ohio | 64 Posts
Marketing | 12 Posts
Money-Saving Tips | 1 Posts
Moving Tips | 4 Posts
Ontario, Ohio | 2 Posts
Richland County | 3 Posts
Sell Home | 4 Posts
Selling Your Home | 52 Posts
Shelby Ohio | 2 Posts
Tips for Buyers | 1 Posts
Tips for Sellers | 1 Posts
Uncategorized | 1 Posts
May
9
9
Life Lessons: National Clean Your Room Day
If you're like most people, you can probably close your eyes and hear your mother saying, "No playing with your friends until you get that bedroom clean!" With the eyerolls and the grumbling, you probably turned a half-hour job into an all-day nightmare. But does it have to be that much of a struggle? May 10th is National Clean Your Room Day, and our REALTORS® have a few suggestions that may help your kids get in the habit of keeping a tidy room without the tears and frustration.
- Start Small
That is, start working with your children when they are toddlers. Clean together and encourage them to put toys in the toy box, dirty clothes in the hamper, and shoes in the closet. Applaud their efforts and cheer their successes, just as you did when they took their first steps. Positive reinforcement at their earliest stages of development is far more effective than negative responses later. Even if you have to follow behind them for thorough dusting, let them try to do it themselves. They'll get better with practice. - Don't Use Cleaning as Punishment
A clean environment is far more comfortable than a messy one, so why attach anything negative to the process? Try to keep the process as pleasant as possible. Put on some upbeat music, whistle, or sing while working together. Teach them the next levels of cleaning as they grow. A toddler may not be able to make a bed, but you can encourage them to help you smooth out the wrinkles in the blankets. Who doesn't need a hand when putting on contour sheets? Let them develop a sense of pride in their usefulness. - Reward Their Work
Show them that you value a job done well. Younger children will be happy with a treat from the kitchen. Older children can be given special privileges like watching a favorite movie. When they are old enough to handle money, you can start giving them an allowance, but don't make it automatic. Tie their chores to the allowance they receive. Some families find success in paying a set amount for a specific chore, such as washing the dishes or vacuuming. It doesn't really matter what method you choose as long as it is fair to all children in the family. - Break Up the Work
Making one day of the week a full day of chores can create an overwhelming amount of work that your children may learn to dread. Consider instead a few things that should be done daily, like picking up clothes, toys, and books. Weekly chores can be spread throughout the week, such as changing sheets on Saturday, washing laundry on Sunday, and vacuuming and dusting on Monday. Spending a few minutes each day cleaning means that the room will never be terribly messy. - Celebrate Success
This differs from rewards in that you actually help them learn to appreciate what they have done. Inspect, praise, and share the space. Lay back on the bed with little ones and point out how lovely the clean sheets smell. Dance with them in the center of the room, knowing there are no hazards underfoot. Most importantly, tell them how much you appreciate how nice the room looks and how happy they have made you.
As your children grow, you may find that you need more space. If your house is getting a little crowded, one of the beautiful Mansfield and Ashland homes for sale may be the answer. Contact us when you're ready to learn more about them.