Monday is Cleaning with Kids Day!

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living abroad, expatriate, family, kids, Mexico, laundry
 

I greatly miss my cleaning lady, Katalina. But in order to save a few bucks, we let her go when we returned home from Belize. We spent more on that adventure then we planned. Now we clean our house every Monday. It’s our cleaning with kids day! Alexis cleans the bathrooms. Taylor cleans the floors. Brad directs the traffic. I wash laundry at the laundromat, bring it home, and hang it to dry. Everything looks great when we are done. The floors shine and the smell of essential oils fills the air. I feel happy. A clean and orderly house brings me peace. I only wish it would last longer. If we don’t keep our four tornadoes reigned in, within the next few hours home sweet home is looking chaotic again.

Before all these kids my house was spotless. Seriously. When we were first married, I preferred hand washing our floors over mopping. I dusted every single shelf every week. When I cleaned the sinks you could not find a water spot on the faucets. Thanks to the direction of my parents, I cleaned offices from age 12 to 20 and made a business of it from age 15 to 20. I have never been much of a cook but cleaning was my thing. Even when the girls were babies, I was able to keep a spotless house. It wasn’t till the girls were older and my boys came along that I started to let things go.

Honestly it was just impossible for me to keep EVERYTHING in order with all my kids. I felt like I was chasing after the wind. I realized family happiness is more important then a picture perfect house. Causing a bunch of stress because there were toys on the living room floor is not worth it. Let the kids play. Don’t get me wrong, we teach our kids to clean up after themselves. Just not every minute of every day. I want my boys to learn laundering and dish washing too. You are never too macho to be clean. But, kids will be kids. Messes will be made. Fun will be had. It’s life. Sometimes it is more important to just be a mom and not a cleaning fanatic.

Thus, Monday is family cleaning day or cleaning with kids day! We try to do touch-up cleaning every day. But if you stop by for a surprise visit, I recommend  house slippers. Morelia is very dusty. If we have friends coming over we adjust our schedule and that day becomes cleaning day. We do less computer homeschooling on Monday and more life-learning homeschooling. Learning to clean is life-learning. My kids may complain but in the end it will be worth it. “Parents, put those picture perfect days behind you! Let your kids play. Teach them to clean. Enjoy your happy home!” Signing off, Tina

living abroad, expatriate, family, kids, Mexico, cleaning house

9 thoughts on “Monday is Cleaning with Kids Day!

  1. anthony quinn photography says:

    yes, your house was always spotless! You seemed to do this without any effort at all! Your parents did teach you very well. But I do agree that you have also learned a very important life lesson, and that is perfection is not more important then a happy, balanced home. I think you are doing amazing! Teaching our kids is so important! And being balanced and having a happy home is part of that!

  2. Christina Morley says:

    Hi Tina! Thanks for visiting my blog and linking on my Picture Perfect Party Linky. I wonder if you read on my blog that I also have four kids, I’m American and we live in South Africa. I visited Mexico once as a kid. We crossed the border on foot from New Mexico for just a couple of hours. I bought dainty silver hand-made jewelry with my own money, which I wore with pride. My maid of honor (from 19 years ago) is living in Belize with her kids and her parents. They run a guest house there. Oosthuizen family (it’s a South African last name). I hope you get your maid back in the near future. The novelty of cleaning wears off quick. :)

  3. Desiree Phillips says:

    Thanks for linking up at the TGIF Hop this week! You get props for keeping your house spotless with your oldest. My first (and so far only) is a 2 year old boy. After he turned 9 months and was walking it seemed IMPOSSIBLE to keep ANYTHING picked up! As soon as I would put something away and move on, he was right behind me taking it back out! He is a trouble maker (seriously, he would purposely also knock something over, so while I was cleaning it he could drink my coffee in peace).. Must just be the boy thing!!!

    Desiree @ completeblissblog.blogspot.com

    • Tina Ernspiker says:

      I think it’s a toddler thing! Nine months, walking? Wow! Have fun with your little whirlwind :-) Thanks for stopping by!

  4. Weekends Are Fun Party Link says:

    Love the photo of clothes drying, they always spell so fresh. Folowing you from Bogger Media Group

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