It goes without saying that children are a true blessing to so many families, but there are times when the peaceful environment that you crave just is not there. Children are people too, and they get irritated at times. There are some things that you can do to make your home more peaceful.
Establish Share Time
Many children argue over the television and which shows to watch. A good solution to this problem is to create a schedule. You should figure out how much television you are going to allow your children to watch, and then divide the time up evenly amongst all the children. Each child can run the remote during the specific time, and the other children either watch it or find something else to do.
Label Things
There are so many things in our lives that it is sometimes difficult to figure out what item belongs to which child. A great solution to this is by using “belongs to labels“. These labels can be places on specific items, and then everyone will know whose item it is. The good thing is that the children will not be able to claim something as their own because of the label. Many arguments can be avoided with these labels, and a peaceful home could truly happen.
Chore List
Create a chore list for everyone to do. This will give them all something to do, and they will be more likely to keep the house clean without arguing about who made the mess. Of course, it is possible that one child could make a bigger mess for another, but that does not happen if you are serious about the chore list. If any wrong-doing is discovered, the child who purposely made more work is responsible for doing the other person’s chore as well. This helps to create a peaceful and clean environment and encourages teamwork.
Read Together
If possible, find thirty minutes a day to read as a family. This down time creates educational opportunities and peacefulness. Children will not fight you to read if you make it a family experience.
No More Put-Downs
Anytime anyone in the house says something mean toward another member of the family, the name caller must say three nice things about the other person. This helps to create harmony with words, and it teaches children to act respectfully at all times.
Blog Post Written by Kathrine K; Guest Blogger for Mom at Last
