My 10 & 12 year-olds are now old enough to take up some household chores such as cleaning the tables, helping with the dishwasher, putting away clean laundry, picking up dirty clothes, emptying their little trash cans, the list goes on and on. But no one really wants to do them and I realize it’s turned into a daily battle of bargaining and negotiating. However, I’m persistent as I want to teach them to be respectful of their things and space, care about their personal hygiene and learn to work together as a team (despite fighting in between). I’m not sure if they understand the discipline but little by little they do get some chores done (not without nagging).
When it comes to cleaning, my biggest worry is their shared bathroom. I have been cleaning and scrubbing their bathroom all this time and I was not willing to transfer this responsibility to them. My concern was safety. There are so many toxic chemicals in cleaning products, many of which are endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, or neurotoxins. So, like many other concerned parents, I started purchasing the more expensive “green” cleaning products hoping to avoid these chemicals. However, they still cause me to have throat & skin irritations and headaches as immediate effects. Unfortunately many hazardous chemicals are still hidden in the “green” product labels and I imagine the VOCS (volatile organic compounds) in them are also associated to many health problems due to long term exposure. For all those reasons, it is important for me to find a true plant-based product that’s safe for my family.
I’m so glad that I’ve found Thieves Household Cleaner! It is plant-based, without toxic ingredients, and so easy to use. I simply swapped out all the toxic bottles of cleaners under the sink and replaced them with just one convenient bottle. We are using fewer products to take care of our cleaning needs. My kids are getting multiple cleaning jobs done just by using ONE bottle. There is no confusion of which bottle to use. We all love the convenience and simplicity of it especially when they have no patience and want to get the job done quickly.
See my daughter in action. Notice the before and after picture – just spray, wipe, and done! No rinsing, no streaks on the mirror.
Before…Ew 
Wipe, wipe, wipe… 
After…Sparkle!
The cleaner is good for all the surfaces in our bathroom: mirror, tub, toilet seat (my son’s special department), tile, floor, sink….
Now there is no excuse and I’ve finally transferred the bathroom chores to them. (I still go in to help out in case they miss some spots but it’s a great start!)
So, to all the moms and dads out there, you are in charge and you can empower your kids to use something safe to start a good habit!
Peace, Health, & Happiness 