Parents are busy people. Careers and family are such time-consuming responsibilities, and when there’s time left over household chores are waiting. It seems there is never a moment’s rest. We’re here to say that when you do find that free time, you shouldn’t necessarily squander it on cleaning or catching up on chores. Here are three things you can do instead of cleaning.
1. Spend time on a hobby…that has nothing to do with cleaning or kids
When you’re a parent you can feel like your whole life has been consumed by that one role. You’re not you, you’re Mom. Well, we’re here to say that we know you are still you! So do something you love and don’t let yourself feel guilty for doing it. Get your partner to watch the kids or hire a babysitter if you want to go out together. Then go to a movie, go hiking, swimming, go get a drink…anything that makes you feel like you again.
2. Try something new as a family
Your kids will never think back and say “remember how clean the banisters were?” So skip the cleaning and do something your kids will remember for a long time to come. Make a treasure hunt complete with a map, go to the zoo, go rock climbing. Let your kids teach something they know and you don’t. Then, as an end to a fun day (and so no one has to do dishes), order a pizza. Everybody wins.
3. Ask your kids to clean for you!
This isn’t so much a thing to spend time on as it is a way to get more free time to spend. Get kids involved with the cleaning process and the parents’ burdens will be that much lighter. Even very young children can get involved. We have created a list of chores suitable for every age. Use it to get ideas about how your kids can help around the house.
Spend Time Doing Instead of Cleaning
Of course, you can’t neglect the cleaning forever. You don’t want your family to live in an unclean environment. To maximize that free time, you can hire a house cleaning service to help you out. That way you never have to worry about cleaning and can always use that rare free time for something fun.