Toddler Tricks - 34

Ways to Trick your Baby:

Problem: You're trying really hard to clean your house, but your children aren't having it.  They will allow you to get nothing done other than play with them.

Solution: Have them help.  This takes a bit of creativity, but usually anything mom or dad is doing is fun, so supply them with their own sponges or dusters and get to work. Just make sure to go over everything they've "cleaned."  Months ago, I recommended this, but I bring it up again for the next section.  You see, we've hit a snag.


Ways your Baby Tricks You:

Problem: Some chores simply cannot be done with babies helping.  Vacuuming, for instance.  You can't vacuum during naptime because it's so loud. You can't vacuum with babies around because they're either too frightened to handle it, or they've been trained to help so they are constantly underfoot.  Mine even grab at the handle, trying to help me move the machine back and forth.  Vacuuming has become one of the most annoying chores I have to do.

Solution: Sometimes toys can double as cleaning tools.  Because the babies' poppers are used by pushing and pulling them to make sound, I have been able to convince them that when I'm vacuuming, the toys become mini baby vacuums.  I can usually direct them to their poppers while I'm trying to get a good section of carpet done, and they'll take up with the toy, popping without care back and forth across the living room.  I just have to make sure they don't run into the real vacuum cleaner in their revelry.

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