Getting Kids to Clean Up And Eat Healthier

We never understood why our parents would get so upset if ever we didn't clean up our rooms or ate our dinner. Who knew that not cleaning up your room could actually make us sick? Not to mention the fact that a dirty bedroom is pretty embarrassing and gross. Who would have thought that eating our vegetables was actually good for our health and greasy french fries and hamburgers did more harm than good? It is a known fact that the bad habits that we pick up as children can have a great effect on us as adults. That is why it is a good idea to start teaching good habits at an early age.

A great way to teach our kids to be more independent is getting the children to pick up after themselves. Easier said than done, I know. But as a parent myself I have learned to make cleaning time fun time. Making your children clean up their room does not always work but making it into something fun rather than a choir does work. I always like turning up the radio when cleaning and this actually works for kids as well. Put on a CD with their favorite songs or simply look for songs on the computer and turn up the speakers. Make cleaning into a fun game where the first child who finishes making their bed gets a golden star next to their name or reward the winner with their favorite snack.

Join in on the fun and see who finishes cleaning up their room faster, the parents or the children. Make cleaning time easier and make it seem less of a drag. Purchase colorful storage boxes. Always have a hamper in each bedroom for the laundry. Purchase bedding that is simple and not so complicated for them to make the bed. A fitted sheet, pillow case and duvet cover is a good idea. Don't load the bed with extra pillows, sheets and comforters. They are less likely to make the bed if there are too many bedding pieces. Just keep it simple.

When it comes to eating healthy, I learned to get my daughter involved in preparing the meal. Kids are more likely to eat healthy foods prepared by them. Make turkey burgers together. Purchase lean turkey meat at the supermarket and pack up on tomatoes and lettuce. Make homemade pizza with English muffins, low-fat shredded cheese and pizza sauce instead of the greasy pizza pies found at fast food restaurants. As a bonus you can cut up a couple of vegetables and place them on the homemade pizzas you made together.

Throw in vegetables when making their favorite pasta dish. Replace sweets with fruits like strawberries, bananas, peaches etc. These fruits are sweet and will definitely satisfy their sweet tooth. Make eating fruits and vegetables a daily habit. Always look for ways to get kids to eat healthy. For example, peanut butter and celery is more likely to get eaten then just the celery alone. Also make funny faces with the vegetables and fruits. The strawberries can be the eyes, the banana can be the mouth and use a small tomato for the nose. "Bon appetit".