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are on the couch, out of her reach). Older children sometimes balk at the idea of doing chores, so make it fun for them. Crank up some fun music and dance as you dust together. Open the lid of the toybox and "free throw" toys in as you clean up the playroom. Preschoolers will delight in helping sort laundry by showing off their knowledge of colors. Involving your children in your housework will not only be fun for both of you, but it will keep them occupied (instead of making a mess in another room) and will help them learn to appreciate the value of teamwork and a job well done.

Let the little things go

Your house will never be pristine again as long as you have children. And that's ok. Part of being a parent is learning to accept that nobody is perfect, not even ourselves. If your toddler has spilled Cheerios on the floor for the third time today, let him play with them for a little while. You can vacuum them up later. If you get busy and don't get to put away all the laundry today, do it in the morning. Be sure not to get too far behind, but sometimes we have to let the little things slide if we want to keep our sanity. Remember to take the time to enjoy your children and grab a moment for yourself each day - don't get so wrapped up in keeping your home looking picture-perfect that you forget to have a little fun.

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