at home with Jo Frost - October 2012 - (Page 180)

clean up Getting your youngsters involved in household chores doesn’t have to be an uphill struggle K ids are notoriously mucky pups: when they’re not leaving their bedrooms in a mess, they’re adding to their growing collection of grass-stained trousers, and so finding ways to keep both the house – and them – clean and tidy can prove difficult. But with a bit of coercion, some gold stickers and a can of 1001 Spot Stain Remover, your cleaning worries could be a thing of the past. putting dirty clothes in the wash, folding fresh clothes, and putting all rubbish in the bin. To make this speedy clean a bit more entertaining, why not add a soundtrack to the mix to get the kids bopping and singing? raring to go. let them know that for every day they keep their room tidy or put their toys away (depending upon their age) they will earn a sticker, and that after every five or 10 days they will get a special reward. Tell them what this is, and make sure that it’s something that will give them an incentive to carry on cleaning. If you already give the children pocket money, let them know that this is their reward (or perhaps a bit extra). All washed up A place to call their own children need to understand that their bedroom is their own space, and while it is somewhere they sleep, play, and store their toys, it’s also somewhere they’re responsible for. So if their room needs a new lick of paint, or a bit of an update, get them involved. let them brush the first stroke of pink choReS Teach paint onto the walls, or youR ToTS To organise their books have ReSpecT onto those new shelves. FoR TheIR Dinner time can be a messy affair in many households, and so having the children help out can not only lend you a hand, but should discourage them from making such a mess in the future. even if they’re young, making sure they carry their cup and plate to mum and dad when they’ve finished their food will soon become an ordinary part of dinner time. A work of art Reap the rewards BelonGInGS Turning tidying up into a positive experience is vital for cooperation from kids. For most people, it’s not an enjoyable activity, just one of necessity – but there’s no need to spread that home truth to your children just yet. This is where reward charts come in. Get together with your children and create a brightly coloured chart on some card, get them to choose some stickers which will act as reward points and you’re ready and While children may reluctantly clean and tidy as if they’ve got all day, you almost certainly haven’t. Introducing a 15-minute clean-up routine is a great way to get their rooms spic-and-span in no time. Although, rather than it being a free-for-all, plan a routine that actually works, with a list of key tasks to get done. Think: making the bed, sorting toys, pick up the pAce There’s nothing worse than entering the living room to find your threeyear-old has adorned the cream walls with their very own multi-coloured masterpiece. a good way to keep idle hands busy is by giving them a specific place where they can draw until their heart’s content. a chalkboard, like this one from Ikea, can become that very haven; again, ownership is important for kids, and knowing that it’s their designated drawing den will leave your walls CHALKBOARD looking spotless. > MALA EASEL £16, Ikea 180 | OCTOBER 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of at home with Jo Frost - October 2012

EDITOR’S LETTER
JO’S HELLO
WHAT’S NEW IN PARENTING?
OCTOBER OUTINGS
SCRUB A DUB DUB
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
NICE WHEELS
FAMOUS MUMS
JO FROST ON THE GO
THE NAUGHTY CORNER
ADULT CLASSES
THE BIG C
YUMMY MUMMY
GET THE LOOK
PUSHY MOTHERS
TOPS ON TREND
MAKE-UP MAGIC
MOTHER WEAR
BABY BUMP BLISS
FIRST-TIME WORRIES
STARTING OUT
ON-THE-MOVE
SIGN UP
MILK TIME
SLEEP EASY
CRY BABY
WHAT’S THAT RASH?
MORE PLEASE
BABY STEPS
JOIN THE GREEN TEAM
COUNTRY COOL
PRE-SCHOOL LEARNING
BUDDING BOOKWORM
AN ITCH TO SCRATCH
‘I’M NOT HUNGRY’
GOING POTTY
BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT
LIVING WITH AUTISM
OPEN WIDE
THE COLD WAR
LET MUMMY KISS IT BETTER
PANIC STATIONS
A CLEAN SWEEP
PROJECT RUNWAY
ORGANISE THIS
TIME FOR BIG SCHOOL
ALL KITTED OUT
WHERE DO BABIES COME FROM?
‘I HATE YOU!’
TWEEN HEALTH
EAT WELL
TRICK OR TREAT
THE GHOST WITH THE MOST
LET’S BAKE
BABY BUDGET
WHAT KIND OF PARENT ARE YOU?
GIVE A CHILD A HOME
FAMILY MEN
GIRL POWER
DAY TRIPPER
GET PACKING
WHY PETS ARE BEST
COMING SOON
STORY CORNER
COUNT TO 10
PEARLS OF WISDOM
QUESTION TIME
KODAK MOMENTS
SURF’S UP
SOUND BITES
STOCKISTS

at home with Jo Frost - October 2012