How to get more YOU time, clean while your kids are awake.

I This hasn't always been the way I have done it my entire time as a mamma, but I do think it's important now! Here's why.

Moms (and Dads) know that having kids is pretty much a guarantee that you are going to have messes. Putting a clean house above playing, building lego's and imagination flexing is not how we do things, and goodnight does that mean it gets messy here!

And I'm just going to say that I really don't care for the cop out making the rounds.. you know the one. "Good moms have messy houses and sticky floors" or something along those lines.  Nope. I just don't buy it.  How about "Good moms do their best" and leave it at that. I know plenty of moms who are fantastic moms and their floors are rarely sticky.  Now that doesn't make you a bad mom if you have sticky floors. But sticky floors are for sure not a requirement to be a "good" mom either!

We have our share of toys and plenty of play but I don't feel like we have to schedule or fill every minute of their time at home with activities that I have to facilitate. So when they are playing together, or solo I have a bit of time to do the things I want and need to do. Cleaning is one of those things. And it's not more work to clean in the kitchen while the kids are next to me having a snack, or working on homework at the kitchen table.

Bathroom cleaning, close to my least favorite job, is easier done with a kid in the bath! I am in there anyway, and we use non toxic, people friendly cleaners so no need to run out after it's used.

It's also important for them to see how the real world works. Homes aren't cleaned, or kept cozy or tidy without someone doing the work! And right along with them seeing it happen, they need to get to pitch in! We think it's important for them to understand and appreciate what others do for them and to help each other too.

As our kids get older it has gotten even more important! They are SO capable of helping and doing their part. Being given the chance to be appreciated for helping the family. That part takes effort on my part! Thanking them for taking the recycling out, which doesn't feel like a huge job but that appreciation part is crucial, and is still missed here sometimes, honestly often, things haven't been running so smooth here lately. I know it's mostly being over tired and rushed in the morning (yay baseball) but by the time I have asked 3 times, the appreciation part is not happening like it should.

But WAIT! There's more, and this part is important! So the cleaning is done while kids are awake, that means YOU (and me) have all of nap time or rest time to recharge and do what we need or want to do, so we can do our Mom thing better after having a little time!