Tag Archives: group activities

Cleaning as a Group—Even When They are Older

When my children were preschoolers and early elementary-aged, we did a lot of our cleaning together. Cleaning up the playroom or their bedrooms was something we did together so that I could teach them and model for them and I hoped to set a precedent for housekeeping expectations. It just didn’t work to send a four-year-old into a room and say “Clean this up”—it was too vague and too overwhelming. Over the years, and with plenty of modeling and organization, my kids have learned what is expected and have become pretty decent housekeepers. We still have a tendency to clean … Continue reading →

The Multi-Tasking Single Parent—Involve Your Child in What You Need to Do

My kids are errand-running, task-helping professionals—I do not know if they would have had all the experiences they have had as my “right hand helpers” if I hadn’t been a single parent. My children have helped out with work projects (I’m not talking child labor here, just “helpers”), and we’ve cleaned closets, packed boxes, picked berries, you name it—together. Involving your child in the tasks and things that need to be done is one of the main ways a single parent can turn multi-tasking into quality parenting time too! The thing is, we cannot get a babysitter every time we … Continue reading →