chores

Daily Routines

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Let’s be honest – “morning routines” were one of those things I thought were total hogwash.
A mystical creation of work-at-home moms who wanted to seem awesome on social media.
A farse.
Nobody really does this. Nobody actually does the exact same things every morning that include cleaning.  Nobody schedules their day like this.

Well…
I was wrong.

I don’t think you must have a morning routine in order to be a professional mother. (And I do believe that being a stay-at-home mom is, in fact, a profession and should be treated as such.)  But I do think they can form naturally and be super helpful.

Before moving to our new home, I had neither a night nor morning routine.  I was basically flying by the seat of my mom pants, and I didn’t know I had a problem.  Our new house is larger and requires more “housekeeping” to stay up to my standards, and my current baby is getting big and needing more specific schedules and attention, and my husband has gone back to full-time teaching at a permanent position, so my day has gotten fuller.  In a wonderful way, but fuller.
In order to fit everything in and still sleep a relatively healthy amount (I am not about motherhood masochism) I decided to do a few tasks before bed and in the morning before the kids get up, largely tasks I never did daily before.  And thus, a routine was born!

Some nights/mornings they don’t get done.  I’m trying not to beat myself up about it when that happens, when sometimes I choose extra sleep or hanging out with my hubby or helping do some school work instead of tidying up my house.  It depends on the day’s demands.  But it’s nice to have slots to fit these activities into instead of constantly regretting that they’re falling through the cracks.  It’s good to know that these cleaning activities will get done almost daily, that my house most mornings will be clean and quiet, that if people drop by my home will be clean and inviting.   That I will be able to find everything I need if I need to rush out the door in the morning.

Stay tuned for full posts about my morning routine and night time routine!

Chores Your Toddler Can Do

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A dual-post from both of us!

2-year-old (happens to be a boy)
  • Wipe up spills. This was the first “chore” he learned.  We keep a kitchen towel hanging where he can reach it, and he takes care of his own spills, dog water dribbles, and wet shoe prints.
    About halfway through
    learning to set the table
  • Set the table.  We didn’t specifically teach this chore, we just started asking him to “put this on the table.”  Gradually he picked up on where things “belong” and now does a pretty good job!
  • Put away clean silverware.  It doesn’t end up in the right compartments, but that is only because he’s too short to reach/see.  He just takes it out of the dishwasher and puts it in the drawer as best he can.
  • Sweep. We purchased this broom set when he showed interest in sweeping. He is best at sweeping into the dustpan, because it’s a target to aim for instead of flinging dirt around the room.
  • Feed pets.  Scooping stuff from a big container and pouring it into a smaller container? It’s a toddler’s dream job!  We only have a dog, but I’m sure this would work for cats. rodents, reptiles, etc.  Of course, make sure your toddler and pet are both safe during this process.  Some dogs get aggressive in regards to their food bowls, and some small pets could bite little fingers.  Also monitor how much your fish are fed.
  • Throw away non-gross garbage.  He loves picking which garbage can to throw things in.
  • Fetch needed items from another room.  Kleenex, diaper & wipes for himself or the baby, his own coat and shoes.
  • Help with laundry.  Another favorite – he loves shaking out the clothes and towels and stuffing them into the dryer, or handing them to me to be folded.  He could also put them away in his drawers if I wasn’t so into Konmari drawers.  (I let him put away his socks.)
    Stirring.  Or licking.
    Same thing, right?
  • Help with baking/cooking. It’s a mess, but it’s a joy to behold.  Age-appropriate tasks include scooping and dumping, sprinkling spices or toppings, crushing crackers, and laying out bread slices/pepperonis/cupcake liners.  (We use those washable reusable liners – I imagine paper ones would be too difficult since they’re difficult for me!) 

Yes, many of these chores are “done” quite messily.  And not the way I would have done them. And take a long time to complete.  But building life skills is so important!  And it’s pretty cool to watch the look of determination and learning on a toddler’s face as he tries to place dishes at the table, or measure something, or choose matching socks from a basket.