TheArt and Science of Manaing the Large Family

Large Family Logistics

If you don�t have enough big kids to help, then it is essential to your peace of mind to limit the stuff that can be carried about.� Ideas to help control stuff:

� A locked cupboard for games, puzzles, and art supplies. Keep the key out of reach and get activities out only at designated times of your day. When the children are done, help them put the activity away. Keep the key out of reach.

� Limit the amount of toys. Do a massive de-clutter. Focus on quality and imaginative toys.

� Rotate the toys by the week, month, season. Keep the rest boxed out of sight and mind.

� Every month sort the toys, puzzles, games, art supplies. Keep the amount limited.

� Designate specific places for things. Make sure everyone knows where certain things belong and what it should look like clean and straightened. Take a picture of the spot so the �cleaner� knows what it should look like.

It�s the Stuff

Stuff Control

Getting Help

If for some reason, you are having a difficult time keeping up with the cleaning, then by all means get some cleaning help. There are all kinds of reasons why a mom of many little children might need help, too many to list here. It is not a sin to have household help. Managing the home is a biblical duty of wives and mothers. There is no biblical mandate that says you must do it all alone. If you need help and cannot afford a professional then try bartering or working with another mother in cleaning your homes as a team.� Paying a youngster to help after their schoolwork is done is another option that is more affordable than a professional housecleaner.

Friday-Cleaning Day

Cleaning is a task that is really easy to do if all the stuff that people leave laying around is picked up. Those of you who have had a house cleaner know what I am talking about. A housecleaner comes and whips through the house and it�s spic and span. She�s like a magic fairy.� How does she do it? I�ll tell you how. She has the easy part, the actual cleaning. You and the children did the hard part of putting away everything that you left lie around since the last time she came. The actual cleaning part is not hard. It is everything that has to happen in order to clean that is hard. IT�S THE STUFF.

Flat surfaces are magnets for people to lay stuff down. Catch people at it, catch yourself at it and stop the bad habit. Put things where they belong. �A place for everything and everything in it�s place.� Say it over and over and over to yourself and your family. Make signs on every level surface for a period to help train them to stop laying things down. When things are constantly put in their proper place then it�s never messy.

This is another reason why Afternoon Chore Time is so important. Do a daily pick up of every room, and a clearing of all flat surfaces. Do it to catch everything that those still in training leave lay. Of course there is the toddler who needs picked up after, if everyone takes a room, the load is shared.