Quick tips for moms: How to get your kids to clean up their messes!!!!!!

TIMES UP!!!!

I actually have learned a few things that might help others as far as kids go. Actually I would say that the only thing I'm really good at is raising my kids. I have tried alot of things to get help picking the house up; this is the one that worked everytime.

I think the best way to get them to help you pick up the house is;

You set the timer or kitchen timer, I even do this with my nine year old. Just set it for two or three minutes. Maybe even one minute for the real little ones. Caution: This does not work if they are still crawling or if they are over the age of 17! lol.

So anyway tell them that you are going to set the timer for two minutes, everyone starts in a different room (I found this will defuse any fighting over who made what mess). Its a game to them and I haven't seen a kid that won't to it. I even do it when I sub. Sorry keep interupting myself.

So everyone starts, tell them to pick their stuff up first and that they have to put it in the correct place or it doesnt count. Before you even start offer a prize, not for the winner, but for the family. It doesn't have to cost money. Just tell them If we get this done we can go to the park or whatever they like to do. It will make them want to play.

After the timer goes off dont freak out if its not all done: Switch rooms and you do your two minutes too! It will make them work harder.

So everyone goes in a circle to each room, you handle the cleaning sprays etc. unless they are old enough. You will find that each of them like to do certain things or are really good at them. Like cleaning mirrors, my older ones sucked at it, my younger one is great at it.

They do as much as they can in the two or three minutes then stop and move on. If you figure two or three kids plus you at two or three minutes each, that is 8 to 12 minutes on every room! You will be amazed at how clean it is!

Once that timer goes off STOP: Dont tell them everything they did wrong, save that. Go have some family time and do what you said that you would. Kids aren't stupid, follow through and it will work.

One thing that you will run in to is that one kid will say "I picked up my stuff but the timer is still going" this is a perfect time for them to learn that its important to help others in life. I wouldn't make them pick up the older kids stuff, but first remind them that everything needs to be in place and that maybe they could help the younger ones or you with something. I used to have a little list of extras incase they were finished. Which doesn't happen alot. Like feed the dog, or animals.

This used to save my whole day. And to be honest I would usually do it an hour before their dad got home.lol. Or it just gets messed up again. Then it was clean the next morning.

It is also a good idea to have a little trash can in each room or bag and for the older ones the cleaning stuff they need, that way everyone isn't running up, down, and around taking as much time as possible to run the timer out. lol. Took me a while to learn that. lol.

I do this almost daily with my nine year old and myself. When my older ones are here they have to do it too. I dont make the baby though. lol. In their minds they are thinking what is two minutes?? nothing? but it adds up. You might also want to set the timer and just have them sit there to watch how fast it goes. It will seem so easy for them.

Hope this helps someone: It has made my life much easier.

Best present for your wife!

Ok so I know that its kinda a rule not to get your wife something to clean with for a present but I have wanted one of these since they came out. I never got it until I bought it for myself and I swear its the best thing I've ever bought myself. The iRobot Roomba! you know the vacume. If your wife is the one who vacumes and hates it or has problems because she is too busy, just doesn't do it, or has medical issues, anything. I swear to God it is a miracle. Call me lazy I don't care. I love it.
I waited for two months to tell my parents and husband that I got it because I new they would just think I was lazy but vacumming killed my back and made my day hell afterward. I would hide it under my bed and vacume while my husband was gone. lol.  I even hid it from my older kids.
So we were having my daughters baby shower and my mom asked me to vacume, she started asking a month before the shower was even here. I told her I would that morning. Pissed her off. But  I took my iRobot over and turned it on. It vacummed her house and she ordered one the next day. She says its the best thing that she has ever bought and that she would damn near trade dad for it. lol. I don't think she is kidding.
Now just a warning: For the first two weeks I spent hours watching it work. I kinda felt sorry for it. lol. My husband knows that I have it now but hes only seen it run once. Just turn it on and go lay down and take a nap!
I here that guys clean now! I always made my son help but how great that would be to get help cleaning. So guys just go buy one, hide it, and when your wife gets home she will be so happy. lol.
You can even set them to where they clean while your at work.
K I have a big day ahead and its going to be exhausting; have to vacume.

My new best friend is a GPS

So I have been taking my daughter to gymnastic meets every weekend. I borrowed my sons gps because I had no fing idea how to get there and the anxiety started to build. People laugh at me but I get nervous when I'm lost. I love that thing and really want one. I'm going to put a picture of one on the refrigerator and leave it there until my husband gets me one. That used to work when we were first married so maybe he will get the hint. I like when the thing talks to me, some of the voices on it drive me nuts, but I found one that I like. It also really helps when you are driving in the dark to a big city and you cant see in the dark very well. Which is making me think does everyone have trouble seeing at night? Like I can see the cars. lol. But  I really cant see when there are turns ahead of me or how the road is going. Thats probably what the damn signs are for huh? The gps shows you how the road is going, amazing and I know your prob thinking who doesn't have one of those? Well never really needed one in this town, but its on my wish list now! Although after my weekend I just wanted to turn it off and start driving. You know just drive and end up where you end up. I was having a good time, it was nice to get out of town. People kept calling me and pissing me off. I'm out of money, Your dog shit on my floor, Where is the toothpaste? Thats what they were calling me for. I would rather listen to the gps. Can people not stand for you to just relax? I think they just try to mess with me. What was I supposed to do drive 3 hours and clean up the shit? I took the toothpast go get some more? F.
Anyway got off subject, ya know I do that.
Note to self; Put picture of GPS on frig. It not only gets me where I want to go, it talks over the kids arguing. and you can even mess with it and take a wrong turn, it doesn't get mad it just says "Please make the closest, legal U turn" lol.