I have 3 children and I can't seem to be able to keep my house clean.?

Question

I have a 5 year old a 3 year old and a 3 month old. I work weekends and I can't seem to find the time to clean, cook, laundry and spend time with all 3 children. I work about 32 hours a week.
Please help!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

I am a mother of 4. My 3 older kids are in school and I only have my 1 year old daughter to tend to during the day. I make sure the dishes are done and the laundry is clean and to hell with the rest! Twice a week I try to deep clean(sweep and mop,dust,organize). Bottom line is that you have to stop dwelling on how clean your house is and worry about how much quality time you are spending with your kids. The 3 and 5 yr olds should be able to help. Remember that your house doesn't have to look perfect. Being a mother,(maid,cook,and driver!),is the hardest job in the world. PLUS,you have an outside job? Lawdy! Do what NEEDS to be done and don't go crazy worrying 'bout all the other nonsense.

Answer 2

I have tried to organize my home so that everything has a spot and my husband and kids can pick up their messes. Even the 2 year old knows the box for the trains and power rangers. If the mess gets picked up, that's half the battle. Then, I just try to get the room clean that's bugging me the most. I'll vacuum and dusk the living-room one day and two days later give the bathroom a wipe down. My house is never completely clean and I'm okay with that. My husband does all the laundry (except my clothes!) on the weekends and we all pitch in putting it away. I think you just have to accept that the house isn't going to be spotless, but you can make it live-able and spend some time with your children. Best of luck!

Answer 3

This sounds like an energy question to me.
You are too tired from doing all these other things, that you do not have enough energy to have a fun time with your children.

In a perfect world, children enjoy making a mess, its their way of discovering the world, and who they are, and learning.
Also in a perfect world, you would enjoy cleaning up after them, just so the children can do it again, and learn/train some more in whatever it is, they actualy learn from it all.
Ofcourse if you are working a job etc.. than you don't have infinite patience, so the mess might irritate you.
But the problem here is not the children, it is you.
You need to check if you are sleeping well..so that you wake up rested.
You need to make sure that you are as healthy as u possible be can, and we also have little things like coffee, etc, that can perk us up, maybe 3 times a week, when u're with the kidz have a cup of coffee, n clean up while socializing wit them.
Make it fun you know.
If u put the blame on the kidz, u'll just create tension in my opinion.
And if you only want your house clean cause someone might see it dirty and you dont want that, than you're ignoring your childrens needs.

Answer 4

I have 4 children ages 3-7years old. I dont work, but I do live on a farm and have horses and dogs and all that to help take care of also. I cant keep mine clean either. Its nice to know Im not the only one. I do what I can, and I have the kids help too. Like picking up thier toys, clean the dishes off the table after eating, ect. The older they are getting the easier it is getting, because they can help out more and more. My mother says my house doesnt stay clean because I dont stay on the kids enough, but I hate to harp on them constantly to clean. They do thier chores, and I do mine and I figure they are only kids for so long. Too soon they will be teenagers and grown, and I can have a beautiful clean house. And then I figure I will be missing all the noise and messes. Chaos and messiness are just parts of having a large family. Enjoy it while you can.

Answer 5

I have the same problem (i just don't work) I have a 4.5year old, a 3.5year old and a 10week old. Everytime you clean up it seems 2get messed up within 5minutes. There just doesn't seem 2be enough hours in a day 2 clean the whole house. It's semi clean and tidy. Enough that people would still want 2visit lol. Just know that your not alone. Just wait till the kids go 2bed of a night and do sections of the house at a time and within a week or 2 the house will be perfect. Good luck. If you ever want 2 chat my email address is [e-mail]

Answer 6

You know what they say...when your kids are grown up and you look around and your house is spotless, you're never going to say I wish I would've spent more time cleaning!!! Just do teh basics when you can and enjoy your kids, be a good mom to them and you will be thankful that you did someday. If there is a father or male figure in the house divide chores more fairly, or if possible hire a cleaning service (even an hour or two a week shouldn't be TOO expensive and will get the nastiest jobs done that you just don't have time for or don't want to do). Also you can get the kids involved a little more with cleaning up their own messes...make a game out of it...

Answer 7

You are not supermom. Don't expect to keep a perfect house until the kids are grown!!

Let the older kids help you with picking up toys, dusting, cleaning the front of appliances ( my grandson loves to wipe the cleaning spray off the front of the stove and refrigerator) You get to spend time with them and teach them to help out at the same time.

The kids will also enjoy "helping" you with the laundry by putting things into the dryer and taking them out. You can teach them colors and numbers while you sort the laundry.

They can learn to sort the silverware and put it away after it is washed.

If you do all these things WITH your kids, they will remember the fun they had with you when they are older.

Answer 8

I have a seven and four year old and until last year I had the same problem.

I purchased a dry erase board and used it to draw out chores for the kiddos to do, since the younger couldn't read.
the seven year old
washes some unbreakable dishes (just to help out)
takes the trash out
picks up her toys
takes the dishes to the sink
makes up her bed

the four year old
picks up all dirty clothes and puts them in the hamper
picks up his toys
makes up his bed
picks up the trash or papers off the floor

This isn't much for them to do really but it sure makes a difference, once in a while they want to dust, or try to run the vaccuum, I usually let them. This really helps me, usually thirty minutes a day spend for my cleaning. I make sure thirty minutes before thier bedtime they go clean thier room, pick up all the toys, hang up clothes, put away their clothes I had folded earlier that day etc. That way when they get up in the morning, they can play or whatever.

Answer 9

I have giving up. I have three children too but mine are 9 6 and three and I do not work. As long as the dishes and laundry are done and the kitchen floor is clean ( not clean enough to eat off of but clean enough that you don't stick to it) I am happy. I will have time later to clean the house.

Answer 10

Children are only children for so long. I read the other day that children who grow up in spotlessly clean environments have poorer immune systems and are sick more often when they start school. Of course, filthy's not good, but that doesn't sound likely since you are so concerned. Encourage your children to do simple household tasks that are age appropriate, and have fun. Also, there's nothing wrong with your husband's helping out, too.