Today there is an ongoing debate in some school districts about the value of homework. In reality the question has been out there for a long time. To date, most school districts still see the importance of homework. It not only prepares the students for the next day but keeps their minds focused on the lessons learned. In other words their studies continue. Those studies more often than not take place in their space, their bedrooms.

Most of us today leave that space to the kids. We say: “if they want to live in a mess, so be it; there are more important battles to be concerned about”. That may be true, but how would we feel if their classrooms at school were a mess?  We all learn and develop better when surrounded by order. Order clears the mind to take in what needs to be absorbed. Have you ever heard your children complain that they can’t concentrate when doing their homework or on the other hand, they seem to get it done quicker than is humanly possible?  

Too many things are a distraction to most of us particularly when we are trying to accomplish something. They cause our minds to wander. May I suggest that in your preparation for the school year, you might include the missing link for their success which is helping your children to stay on top of the clutter in their rooms? It just may be the one additional ingredient for them to be able to master achieving that challenging “A”.

There will always be a long running debate about the value of a weekly or monthly cleaning day for the family vs. the alternate idea of daily chores

What is good for one situation may not be for another. Below are eight suggestions to consider as you decide the pros and cons.

For a day of cleaning make sure your time frame is practical by considering everyone’s activities?

Try to make it as pleasant as possible by planning a fun lunch and music that all will enjoy.

Have the day well laid out according to job capability.

Remember to compliment their efforts while you are instructing and helping.

Keep in mind that all day cleaning whether weekly or monthly may bring resistance and establish a negative attitude.

The alternate idea of daily chores rotated among the children is a practical answer to a cleaning day.

It is always a worth while idea to post what needs to be done and by whom.

Be assured that a good job is usually its own reward but a sincere ‘thank you’ also goes a long way.

We all learn best by doing so whether it is through daily chores or weekly and monthly cleaning schedules including the children is one of the greatest gifts we can give them to prepare for their future homes.

Most of us when selecting furniture and floor coverings seldom think about the effect that color has on cleaning time.The following are some hints that you may want to consider as you shop for the next addition to your home.

-      Dark wood furniture reveals the dust easier than light or blond furniture.

-      Glass tops show dust, film and fingerprints and usually take longer to clean and maintain than wood furniture.

-      Dark wood floors reveal the dust but hide the dirt. The same principle applies to carpet.

-      Blond floors hide the dust but reveal the dirt and the same is true for carpet.

-      Light upholstery reveals soil but can hide the dust longer than a dark solid fabric.

-      A dark print fabric is a practical choice for upholstered furniture that is family friendly.

Would love to hear your practical thoughts on the decorating that has saved you cleaning energy.

On a recent visit back to Chicago, my daughter-in-law shared a dear tale about our little four and a half year old grandson, Ben. On most days he is driven to pre-school by his mother or grandmother who also picks up a neighborhood child. One day the mother of the child offered to drive and when dropping Ben home asked how he liked her taking him to school. Without skipping a beat he quietly replied that he didn’t because her car was messy and dirty. Needless to say my daughter-in-law was mortified but the neighbor was dear as she apologized and acknowledged the condition of her car. What was so remarkable is that Ben is just an average four year old little boy who for all appearances seems to be more interested in sports than the condition of his surroundings. I guess that is why it was such a memorable comment and one that will never need to be written down in order to be engraved in his mother’s or for that matter his grandmother’s mind and heart.

With all the things that go on in the home and all the effort that is exerted to keep it up one can easily wonder ‘does it really matter’? The holiday seasons that come and go, as well as the endless celebrations throughout the year that we magically engineer into reality, at times cause us to ask, ‘who really cares’? My answer is, they all do. It is rare to hear a little four year old express his opinion about the state of an environment but it also alerts us to the fact that what we are doing does matter. During these hectic times when so many of us are squeezed to get it all done it is reassuring to know that they do notice and that our efforts will find a special place in their hearts.

The way we wrap packages or light small votive candles that brighten a table during the holidays will spark a memory to be passed on to future generations. I recall a birthday plate we had in our home as a child. Each and every home baked cake was brought out on that beautiful china platter that, if broken, I know would have more than saddened my mother. Yet she didn’t keep it in the china cupboard but shared it with all of us. After her death, it was my younger brother who quickly claimed the plate for his own. It is now part of his family tradition that on special occasions the goodies are presented bearing memories of his childhood.

The efforts we put into our family traditions and celebrations need not be expensive or time intensive but rather done with a love that will radiate the joy you want to give to the others. My husband fondly remembers the quarter wrapped in wax paper and hidden in the birthday or Christmas cake. His mother sliced each piece knowing where the surprise would be and on particularly special occasions more than one quarter would appear, keeping  them all guessing.

The shopping and care it takes to make our children look and feel special during these times of celebration, on the surface may not seem that important to them and yet years later as they recall that Christmas Mass or that birthday party, the mental vision of what they wore and how it made them feel will rush back. All of the family gatherings that we look forward to are more than a moment in time but rather a reflection of who we are as human beings and the dignity of each one. They help to shape us and give us an inner security about the importance of our lives. Home is the first place that we are meant to realize that importance and thus even in the midst of all the time constraints and responsibilities during our busy schedules to know that it really matters even to the very young can’t help but put a smile on our faces and a joy in our hearts with an assurance that it is all worthwhile.