Thanks to On-Cor for sponsoring this post and offering quality, multi-serve entrées that everyone loves.
Whether your family has set chores daily or has a cleaning day once a week, it’s important to get the whole family involved in keeping the house tidy. Sometimes I feel like getting kids to help with the housework may seem more like a chore than the actual cleaning task does. Because of this, I wanted to share some of our favorite ways to make cleaning with kids easier, including ending the day of cleaning with a special family night featuring one of our favorite On-Cor entrées.
Make it fun
Doing anything with kids is immediately easier when you find a way to make it fun. We love to turn on some music that everyone likes and dance arround as we clean (especially Lucas who always seems to be dancing whether there is music on or not!) The kids also like when we make cleaning into a game. Since my boys can make anything into a competition – as many siblings do- a lot of times just making cleaning up a race gets them excited. Whether they are racing to see who can pick up an area first or who can be the first to put away 10 toys- competitions and games make cleaning time a lot more fun!
Let them help make a cleaning list
One of my secret (or not-so secret now….) goals as a mom is to help my sons grow up to be men who help with the housework. Whether it’s helping with dinner (like heating up convenient, quality dinner solutions from On-Cor that are perfect for busy nights) or cleaning, I want them to be able to identify things that need to be done and do them which is why I love the idea of having kids help create a cleaning list. On a weekend morning when everyone is pitching in to clean, or right before having company, kids can walk around and make a list of what things they see that need to be done. I’m proud to say that Jacob is really great at identifying what things need to be picked up and cleaned and doesn’t need me to constantly tell him what to do next. Plus, I feel like having a list is a good way for kids to visually see what things still need to be done and cross the tasks off as they get completed (and who doesn’t love the satisfaction of crossing something off a to-do list!?)
Provide kid-friendly cleaning tools
If kids are going to help with the chores they need tools they can easily use. Wet wipes are aweome for every day cleaning. They also make child-sized cleaning tools that are fun for young children to use (like these ones pictured…aren’t they adorable?!) Rags with non-toxic cleaning products can be used by older children for more heavy duty cleaning.
Give children specific tasks to do
Sometimes kids can complete a larger task (like cleaning their room) on their own but often times, children need larger, overwhelming tasks broken down into smaller steps. I have one of each type of child and it’s something I try to keep in mind on cleaning day. For example, I can tell Jacob to clean his room and he completes the task while Lucas needs to be told what to do next (ie. pick up the superheroes, put your laundry in the hamper, etc.) A checklist with the steps to larger tasks broken down can be helpful and your child’s age and maturity can determine whether this is done with text or photos and how many steps that tasks need to be broken down into.
Have them work towards a reward
Nothing is more motivating than knowing there’s a reward at the end for a job well done. After a long afternoon of cleaning, reward kids with a special family night. We love to have dinner and then let the kids pick out a movie to watch or game to play. Spending time with family is the best thing and it’s even more fun when we can enjoy it in a room that’s spotless! You can add a spin to how you give out the rewards. Maybe at the end of the year, you could hold a fun little awarding ceremony. The entire family can get dressed up in their fancy outfits, and you can even decorate your house like the Oscars. You can also prepare cute customized rosette award ribbons and exciting prizes to amp up the anticipation. The kids will love it!
Since I don’t want to have to clean up the kitchen (again) after I’ve been cleaning all day, I like to make meals that are quick and easy and don’t make a lot of dirty dishes. We can have at least one night of no pots and pans in the sink, right?! That’s why I love On-Cor meals- they are just a freezer away for an always easy, always satisfying and always ready solution because life’s demanding enough. Dinner shouldn’t be! On-Cor does the prep work, so you can take care of other to-do’s and spend more time with your family!
From hearty entrées to microwave favorites, convenience has never tasted so delicious. No frills, no fancy. Just really, really good food. The boys love the Penne Pasta & Meatballs with Tomato Sauce entrée and I love that it makes pasta night easy. Plus, it now has 25 percent more meat so there’s more meatballs for everyone to fight over lol.
For your next family meal, head to the freezer aisle of Jewel-Osco or check out the store locator at www.on-cor.com to pick up one of On-Cor’s entrées. What tips do you have for making chore time with kids easier? Let me know in the comments below and make sure to enter to win a fun On-Cor prize pack!
Giveaway prize package includes: (1) Coupon Valid for One Free On-Cor Entrée (1) Organizational Glass Containers, (1) Scrub Brush, (1) Kids Cleaning Set, (1) Set of 4 Kitchen Towels, (1) Sink Caddy (ARV: $150)
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of On-Cor. The opinions and text are all mine.
We sing silly songs.
My son does better when we clean together and share chores.
My kids are actually willing to help clean. It’s a miracle I know! But these are good tips for kids who are less helpful!
We love the sliced turkey with gravy. It makes a great meal after a long day of cleaning. With being a mom of a teen the best tip I have is bribery. no really bribing him with 10 bucks works every time.
I love the idea of provide kid friendly cleaning tools. That mop looks so cute! And that giveaway is amazing not to mention the yummy meal idea.
My kids get rewarded with video game time when they clean. When they were little kid size tools really helped!
I think involving the kids in cleaning the home is so important! I agree that when you have a big day of cleaning, the last thin you want to do is make more dishes.
Such great tips! I love getting my kiddos in on the cleaning action. And with it being spring, this is perfect timing!
I like the barbecued pork riblets. We eat them on buns usually.
Favorite sliced turkey with gravy. It is fun when we do chores together.
I like the sliced turkey with gravy
My kids love to wipe things down so i got non toxic wipes and they go to town. And then I can focus on other things
I’m a don’t sweat the small stuff kind of cleaner so if toys are left out I’m ok with it , vacuuming is fine by all of us and the kids help clean surfaces
My favorite is the scliced turkey with gravy! Yum!
Penne Pasta & Meatballs with Tomato Sauce is our favorite! We like to set a timer and blast music to make cleaning more fun!
I love the salsbury steak
I like Turkey and gravy.
I love their chicken nibblers!
We have little kid vacuums, lawn mowers, and such so the kids can copy and learn to enjoy doing chores just like the adults!
We have a race to see who can get things cleaned up quicker.
We like the sliced gravy entree.
We like the On-Cor Salisbury Steak. My kids and I listen to music.
We love the Con-or Salisbury Steaks.
We love the
So fun, thanks!
My kids actually usually like to clean! I have them sweep and help clean the walls!
It’s only easy when I help him clean.
The turkey and gravy and we make little contests
We make cleaning easier by making a game out of it. Set a timer for 2 minutes and see how much work everyone can get done. Do that a couple times a day and things start looking better!
My daughter and I love to clean together. When I clean the toilets, she immediately runs in and asks to help me. It’d be easier to just do it myself, but more important to let her help.
Cleaning with kids can be tricky. I have found if you try it make it sound fun and make it like a game, it usually turns out good.
Love the mac n’ cheese!
The kids do clean up together, makes it go faster and easier on each.
To make cleaning with the kids fun is to make them feel like it is a game rather than work, like singing the song clean up, clean up while picking up toys.
I like the macaroni and cheese.
kid sized cleaning tools are a must. my older one sweeps, the younger one uses a dust buster. they both help load and unload the dishwasher. my family really loves the salisbury steak! so yummy
we have chore charts and we take turns with different chores. the first time we do a specific chore i teach and then we make sure they understand before leaving them on their own.
My favorite On-Cor product is the Breaded Chicken Parmagiana Patties with Tomato Sauce
Thank You for the chance!
We set a timer and “race” to see what we can get done, then do something fun after.
Cleaning with kids is made easier if you put on some upbeat music and make a game out of general cleaning and cleaning up toys.
I love the lasagna ,and I wish my kids would help .only my youngest will help
I use a lot of bribery to get y kids to clean!
the kids do chores to earn time on their games or tablets; works GREAT!
I tell my son work than play . We clean up then he CAN play with his toys or go on the tablet
my favorite on cor meal is the lasagna.
We make a game out of cleaning and usually have music playing to make the time pass. Faster.
My favorite On-cor meal is Macaroni & Cheese.
we play music and that helps make my sons more willing to clean
I try to make a game out of boring cleaning chores.
Our favorite meal of theirs is the Sliced Turkey and Gravy! We love making open faced sandwiches with it. Bread..then turkey..and a scoop of mashed potatoes! Top with the gravy…oh yum and so easy!
we like to listen music and dance some silly moves
We play/blast fun songs to sing and dance to while doing chores
My favorite On-Cor meal is Salisbury Steak.
My favorite On-Cor meal is the Veal Cutlet Parmagiana.
I make cleaning easier with the kids by making a list for each of them and having all the supplies we will need in a caddy to go from room to room.
Out favorite On-Cor meal is the Lasagna with Meat Sauce. Super easy meal just add a tossed salad and garlic bread.
Our favorite is their Salsbury Steak.
My little girl is at the age where she loves to help. It may slow me down, but she is at least learning how to help me clean.
We reward good cleaning with special things they get to do!
well the kid got choirs since it 4 bed house one does dishes and then oone does the table by hleping put food and one set table
I’ve found that really concentrating on teaching them the right way to do things when we first start working on something makes things easier later!
My favorite is gravy with sliced turkey.
Chore charts are a good way to get kids to help clean.
My kids are older now, but when they were younger we would sing together while we cleaned together.
Thank you!
Our favorite on-core meal is the salisbury steak. Love it with egg noodles and broccoli. Yum!
I make cleaning with kids easier by making it fun. We play music, we dance, and we sing.
I try to make it sound fun and we like the Popcorn Chicken.
We sing a song. Honestly, Being like mom is reward enough for my kiddo and cleaning!
I haven’t tried On-Cor products.
Other than bribery, cleaning is easier when we jam out to music and act silly all cleaning together.
I give a big thumbs up to having kid-friendly cleaning tools on hand. I have a cute monkey-shaped kitchen scrubber that I bought because it made my giggle, but the kids fight over who gets to use it so it was $6 very well spent!
I like to have the kiddos help while we do chores. I have cleaning cloths, a non powered vacuum, and a Swiffer to encourage teamwork. I love their Macaroni and Cheese dinners.
I make the cleaning easier by listening to music. I also bribe myself with a treat that I can have when I’m finished.
my wife gets out her cleaning supplies and than gets Kiera’s cleaning items out and they clean together
I like the On-Cor Salisbury Steaks :)
My favorite On-Cor meal is the Southern Style Gravy with Breaded Beef Patties. All the products are delicious!
Our favorite On-Cor meal is Salisbury steak! Yummy! We make chores more fun by all cleaning together and with music, we dance and make it fun!
Chore charts with stars or stickers helps a lot!
I like their salisbury steak dinner.
We time chores. Make it race against the clock.
To make cleaning fun and easier with kids, we crank up the radio and do silly dances to it while cleaning. Our favorite Oncor meal is Penne Pasta & Meatballs with Tomato Sauce. It has been our favorite for years.
Macaroni and cheese
Not being a perfectionist and letting kids do their best helps.
My sweetie loves On-Cor’s Breaded Chicken Parm with Tomato Sauce.
My kids are grown now, but my favorite Oncor meal is the sliced turkey and gravy.
I give them there own spray bottle with water in it and towel and the spray everything and wipe it they think it’s so fun….lol I let them vacuum and dust we put the music on and dance and be silly.
We clean to music Makes it fun! Our favorite meal is veal parm!
We have two kids so we split the tasks up.. it also makes it easier on them if we help… that way they don’t see it as us just giving them the jobs we don’t want to do. In dusting, I’ll do the high areas and they do the low ones =)
Everyone has their set chore.
We make cleaning a game, such as “I spy”.
I love the lasagna!!
We love their Salisbury steak! We just had it two nights ago!
Our favorite meal is the Salisbury Steak, so yummy with whipped potatoes!
I make cleaning fun by turning on music and we dance around.
My kids earn “points” toward rewards and privileges for doing chores and cleaning. They are always asking what they can clean next!
I would like to say that I would reward my kids with an On-Cor meal, but it is more a treat for me. They love those candies, especially chocolate.
would love to win
We like the turkey and gravy! We make cleaning fun by dancing around and listening to music as we clean!
I love to make cleaning fun by turning on music and getting everyone in a mood to clean. It makes everyone happy, and isn’t as tedious.
Make cleaning easier with kids? Impossible!(I try to clean when the little ones are napping!) Let the older ones help with something to help occupy them!
We love the Salisbury Steak – so delicious. We make cleaning fun by turning on the music while we work.
The Sliced Turkey with gravy is great love to try them all.
My favorite is the Salisbury steaks with gravy.
I usually have to bribe them, but slowly they are cleaning more and require less bribing.
We sing the ‘Clean up song’ with the Grands just like we did with our children. They love to sing and dance and clean!