Kids Just Want to Have Fun!

There is nothing like childhood. Boundless energy and continuous learning make for a very interesting existence. If kids had their choice, they would want to have fun all day, every day. Unfortunately for them, there are a lot of things that children need to learn and we, as adults, need to find a way to teach them.

The most effective way to teach somebody something is to make them have fun doing it. Part of that for some kids is to make them feel like the lesson was their idea. Sound hard? It might take a little practice, but once you have got it, you can really use it to your advantage and to the benefit of your child.

Here we will discuss how to teach your children to follow the rules of the house, keep it clean and have fun doing it. This technique can work well with an only child or a house full of children. It can even work on spouses if you are creative!

Now, how do you make someone think that scrubbing a toilet or doing the dishes is fun? Even more challenging, how do you make them think it was their idea? One simple word comes to mind: Competition.

Most people and children have a competitive streak and we all love rewards for winning. Create a contest where family members are rewarded for doing things that help out around the house. Motivate the children by including the adults. If Dad mows the yard, he gets a point. If Mom does the dishes, she gets a point. Then you simply point out that someone is ahead and suddenly the kids want in on the action. Not only that, but they are having fun and they think that it is their idea to clean.

Come up with a simple reward system. Whoever has the most points at the end of a week gets to rent whatever movie they want. Or maybe they get to have their favorite meal served. You may need to have different reward systems for adults and children to make it fair. Mom and Dad can compete separately from the children.

To keep the system going you need to make monthly prizes as well. The most points at the end of the month could earn you some extra allowance or a night out to dinner with the parents, no other siblings allowed. Figure out what motivates your kids and leave it up to them to earn the reward.

Helping fold laundry and putting the hanging clothes on childrens hangershangers can be a fun experience. Cleaning off the coffee table or vacuuming can be really fun. It is all about motivation. Keep your family moving with a little creativity and challenge.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the owner of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of childrens hangers. The right childrens clothes hangers really make the difference in kid's retail or home organization. For more information, please visit www.onlykidshangers.com.

Kids: Organization Tips

Kids can accumulate an incredible amount of stuff. Keeping it organized is a challenge for any parent or child. You may be looking for some tips on keeping your child’s room neat and clean without spending a bundle. Here are a few tips that you can use to organize the space that you have and have fun doing it!

Let your child be involved. Make it a fun experience for the both of you. Start by cleaning the room. Try the “Big to Little” game. See who can keep finding the larger item. Start by picking up and putting away the largest item you can find. If your child finds one bigger, they get a point. Race around the room seeing who can pick up the larger item. Eventually, you will be down to the littlest toys and it becomes more and more of a challenge. You can even keep score by categories. First, get all of the laundry out of the room. Second, sports equipment should be put away. Next will come toys and shoes. Last would be trash. Come up with your own categories to fit your child’s belongings and make it fun. You might have categories like cars, dolls or balls.

Once the room is clean you can start organizing. Keep simplicity in mind. If all of the toys have a place, then it is a lot easier to clean up the next time. Simply throwing them all into a toy box will cause confusion. It may seem simple, but trying to find a specific toy can lead to a toy avalanche in the bedroom. Shelving, bins, buckets and baskets make a lot more sense.

Shelving can be inexpensive. Just make sure that your shelving is sturdy enough to withstand a child climbing on it, just in case. You may want to anchor the shelves to the wall, especially if your child is young. Create a bin, bucket or basket for each type of toy. Labeling the spot on the shelves for it makes cleaning up a snap and encourages reading and language skills. You can even build your own shelves with nice planks of wood and some simple “L” brackets. This can help you make use of corners and unused closet space.

Keeping the room clean should be rewarded. A reward system can be very motivating and set your child on a path of life-long organization. Create a chart and use foil stars to mark progress. One star can be for laundry being put away or in the laundry basket. Another can be for picking up toys, and so forth. Create a reward, such as going out for ice cream, for thirty stars. Smaller rewards can be given along the way if you wish. Let’s say that your child has five stars by Saturday mornings. The reward can be going to the park or something of your child’s choice.

Show your child the proper way to put away their clothes. Very young children can even fold and hang their own clothes. Consider building some closet shelving down low for them to put away the clothes that they fold. Invest in some nice childrens hangers to encourage them to hang certain items. Keeping the laundry in check is a good way to start organizing.

The important thing is to have fun and be encouraging, not degrading. Keeping up with cleanliness and organization is something that has to be learned and it may not be easy teaching it. Patience gets results, so use your imagination and your child could be organized in no time.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the owner of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of childrens hangers. The right childrens clothes hangers really make the difference in kid's retail or home organization. For more information, please visit www.onlykidshangers.com.