Only Touch it Once

Maybe this is old news. Maybe you’ve heard it before. Maybe you already do this. Great. 

Now, teach your kids to only touch it once too. 

I know a lot of you parents are go getters, get it done, on top of it all, put together people, but that doesn’t help you. And in the long run it doesn’t help your kids.

I know I can pick up the toys better and faster, I know I can do the laundry better and faster, I know I can cook and clean better and faster than my kids. Pro tip: It’s not a race.

Parenting is all about passing on skills to your children they become independent and capable adults. 

Including a 3 year old in anything is not the fastest way to get it done. At first. Stay with it and that 3 year old will get the hang of it and rock the chores just like you. 

So what is ‘it’? It is everything and anything. Getting the mail, loading the dishwasher, picking up the house, doing homework, putting away the groceries, answering emails. If it is possible only deal with it once. 

When you get the mail, walk back while looking through it and separate the junk mail out. Before you even enter your house put it in the recycling bin or garbage can. Better yet hand it to your child and teach them where it goes. Show them that if they don’t need it, don’t let it in the house. Only touch it once.

After you and your family finish eating, rinse the plates, etc. and put them directly into the dishwasher. When the dishwasher is full, run it. Your sink will never be full of dirty dishes and your countertop will never be covered in stacked, dirty dishes, precariously waiting to be put in the dishwasher while making it impossible to use your counter space.

Teach your kids to get undressed next to their hamper and put their dirty clothes directly into the hamper. Teach them to play and immediately put the toys into the container they came from, have a snack then put your plate in the dishwasher. If that sounds easy, that’s because it is. It’s just that simple. Explain it to them that way - this is what we do.

The younger your child and the sooner you begin this habit the better because it will be easier than having to overcome an old habit. But that doesn’t mean it can't be done. Do not move on to the next project or activity until the first thing is done and put away.

There is no going outside and leaving your plate on the counter dirty, there is no playing with the next thing until the last thing is put away, there is no story before bed until the clothes are in the hamper.

Include your children in the care of their home and things. It not only trains them to be independent, responsible adults, it helps you. Those extra little hands need to be trained to participate in your family as productive humans. The small amounts of time it takes to show them how to manage time, space and things is an investment. You are buying back your time in the the long run. You are a parent, not a permanent maid, cook and chauffeur.

So whatever it is, only touch it once and teach your kids to do the same. It is a family value a family system for success.