Comments

1. ♪♫ wiseacre♫♪ says:
   March 20, 2008 at 12:11 am

   When my daughter was 3 she wanted to ‘help’ with everything. At first it was a little crazy, but she got the hang of a lot of stuff. We made a game of it and I did alot of praising even if what she did wasn’t exactly what I expected. Over a short time she learned a lot which taught me alot about children.
2. ●Gardener● says:
   March 22, 2008 at 3:35 pm

   Whew! That’s quite a schedule you’ve got there! You’re making me tired already! Unless you can afford (and trust) a maid to come in weekly, my best and main suggestion is to do the following:

   Whatever project/chore you’re working on at any given time, clean up after yourself as you go, and pick 1 or 2 other things in that same area that need cleaning and quickly clean them as well. Such as, if you’re fixing dinner, clean up not only whatever mess you’ve made on the stove, but go ahead and wipe down the stove top’s exhaust fan and/or the interior of the microwave as well…not because you’ve just used them, but because you’re in the area and already have out the cloth to wipe them with.

   I don’t tend to concentrate on any one given area. What I do instead is pick up things in an area that I’m in and take them to where they belong, and then once I’ve put those things down I look around quickly and spot something to do in that new area as well….and if that takes me into yet a new area, I look around and find something to clean up there.

   I’ve found the Swiffer set of cleaning products to be EXCELLENT for dusting…I was greatly surprised about this because I thought they were simply gimmicky things, but as it turns out they’re versatile and very handy and can get into places much more easily than my hand and a paper towel can.

   I also turn on music (not necessarily loud music, but if that’s what you like then by all means, do so) it tends to help motivate me and keep my energy up….and I don’t dwell on the fact I’m doing yucky ol’ chores.
3. MyBestFriend says:
   March 26, 2008 at 12:36 am

   The main thing is that your daughter is more important than any of the other, so at times you will need to let things go in order to spend time with her. Try and do homework when she is in bed, do housework together and keep a grip.
4. Grasshopper says:
   March 28, 2008 at 6:42 am

   1. Accept that your house will not be as clean as you would like it to be. With you schedule that is not realistic so don’t beat yourself up.

   2. I have two little ones with enough toys for a small army. I only give them access to a few toys at any given time so things don’t get out of control. I keep different random groups of toys in baskets/storage bins and then I just rotate every few days.

   3. If you have a daily routine, your little one can probably help. Little things like taking her dishes to the kitchen , lining up her shoes before bed or putting her dirty clothes in the hamper can make a big difference in the long run. Plus if you do this consistently she’ll develop good habits.

   4. Allow yourself to use convenience products. That includes foods, cleaning products etc. I love the Swiffer vac and the mop, so does my son who is four. I also keep multiple spray bottles of cleaner and paper towels around the house so I don’t have to go all the way to the kitchen to get them. I can clean up the bathroom sink while it is on my mind and then it’s done. Along those lines…

   5. Clean as you go. Do what you can when you can. Sometimes I do feel like I’m cleaning up all day but we are not stay at home moms, so I think this continual cleaning is par for the course.

   6. For more time consuming cleaning, consider getting up a bit earlier, if that will work for you. Get done with chores early on Saturday so you can spend time with hubby. Then when daily messes occur, he might even volunteer his help because it just a little touch up.

   7. Pat yourself on the back. You are a wonderful wife, mother and student. Keep up the good work. Treat yourself once in a while. Treats are great for ones sanity! Best of luck to you.
5. slezywoman says:
   March 31, 2008 at 2:49 am

   if things are in the wrong room get basktes for each room then as you move from one room to the next take the basket to the room it needs to go and so on or wait till you fill it then do it ,saves a lot of walking back and forth
6. georgetjb says:
   April 1, 2008 at 5:53 am

   If you and your 3 year old are the only 2 home during the week then you can clean up after yourself and if you make this a habit you will thank yourself later. If your 3 year old is making a mess then teaching her to clean up after herself, with you helping at first is a good lesson. I raised 2 children 1 1/2 years apart by myself, worked a full time job, took college courses as well as did my yard work. It can be done but you need to prioritize, organize and become disciplined. In my opinion our children should come first. You may ask your husband to help with the weekly chores when he is there to help lighten the load. good luck to you

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