House & Home — The Happiest Home

Getting Kids To Clean Up: How To Motivate & Direct Your Pint-Sized Help

by Meagan Francis on January 26, 2015

Since we’re talking about delegation and division of household labor this week, I thought I’d republish one of my favorite posts about motivating kids to clean up! Enjoy.

We all know kids make a lot of mess. But if yours are old enough to hold a broom or put a toy in a basket, they’re old enough to take some of the work off your plate. Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to get them to clean up after themselves or join in when you need a hand, but with some effort and patience, you really can get your children to pitch in and make your job easier. Here are some of my best tips for getting kids to clean up and help out around the house:

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Showing Love Through Every Day Care, with Leticia Barr & Jim Higley: The Home Hour Episode 48

by Meagan Francis January 14, 2015

Is doing a load of laundry or washing the dishes really just a “chore”? Or could the act of caring for our families in these little, everyday ways add up to much more over the course of a year, a childhood, a life? That’s what I’m talking about in today’s episode of The Home Hour, along […]

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Delegate Like Downton: A Strategy For Managing Home Helpers

by Meagan Francis January 11, 2015

Imagine this: it’s a Sunday afternoon. One child just got done shoveling the walk, and another is unloading the dishwasher. You, on the other hand, are reading a magazine, sipping a cup of tea and enjoying the calm of a neat (enough) kitchen…that you didn’t even have to tidy up yourself. Sound like a fantasy? It’s […]

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Smart innovation from Whirlpool to make caring for our families simpler, every day.

by Meagan Francis January 9, 2015

I spent two days in Las Vegas this week, attending the Consumer Electronics Show in partnership with Whirlpool. This is part of a series of posts I’ll be writing about what I saw there! Whew! What a whirlwind week. After getting the kids off to school on Tuesday, Jon and I drove the two hours […]

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Every day, care: It’s what we do, and it matters.

by Meagan Francis January 2, 2015

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be writing a series of posts in partnership with Whirlpool’s Every day, care. Campaign. You’ve probably noticed it’s been quiet around here over the last two weeks. That’s because Sarah and I decided to mostly power down over the holiday so that we could focus on celebrations, our kids, […]

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Big Week Of Giveaways! Win $300 To Spend At Minted.com!

by Meagan Francis December 11, 2014

It’s our Big Week Of Giveaways here at The Happiest Home! Check out all giveaway posts here, and read on for what we’ve got for you today… For our final holiday giveaway this year, we’re thrilled to work with a company we really love: Minted, which gives independent artists an opportunity to connect with potential […]

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DIY Cupcake Wrapper Wreath (Plus Tips For Doing “Grown-Up” Crafts With Kids)

by Guest Blogger December 5, 2014

This post first ran in 2012, and it continues to be a hit with you Pinterest-loving crafty mamas. If you missed it the first time, check out our friend Nikki McGonigal‘s tutorial for a holiday cupcake wrapper wreath, and her tips for sane and satisfying crafting with small kids. Enjoy! As a stay-at-home mom / […]

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Hosting Thanksgiving? How To Help Young Children Feel Included

by Sarah Powers November 25, 2014

If you do a quick search for “thanksgiving” and “young children,” you’ll notice a few things right away. One, printable coloring pages claim to solve all your problems. Two, decorations for the kids’ table have never been cuter (or more insanely complicated – thanks, Pinterest!). And three, the focus of nearly every single advice piece […]

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30 Ways To Get Ready To Host Thanksgiving (That Have Nothing To Do With Cooking)

by Sarah Powers November 21, 2014

Who else is getting ready to host Thanksgiving this year? Meagan and I had so much fun taking your questions about it on yesterday’s episode of The Home Hour, and today I’m going to share some of the little ways I’ve been getting my home ready for the holiday – most of which have very little […]

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Your Thanksgiving Questions, Answered: The Home Hour Episode 43

by Meagan Francis November 20, 2014

After a break last week (I was traveling in Florida with the whole family), The Home Hour is back this week with a brand new episode I think you’re going to love. In this episode, Sarah and I answer – to the best of our ability – YOUR questions about hosting Thanksgiving in your home. […]

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