Teaching clean-up to kids is as important as any other activity

Educating kids about cleanliness is the key to good health as well as hygiene. Therefore, it is essential that we teach the kids to take an active part in activities related to cleaning up and take it up as a habit. After all, cleanliness and tidiness is more of a lifestyle than a habit. This is why we, at the JP International School, believe that it is one of the prime responsibility of ours, the parents as well as the educators, to make the kids understand that keeping themselves as well as the environment clean is the prime necessity for staying disease-free.

The very first step of clean-up should start at home at an early age as it has a good impact on kids and remains with them deeply inculcated in their minds for life. Ideally, it is advisable to instil these healthy and hygienic habits in children right from the stage of infancy when they start developing their senses. However, even if it has not been done at an early age, it’s never late to teach a good habit to kids. Here are a few ways you can make your kids develop a habit of clean-up:

Take Cleanliness as a Responsibility

Responsibility is an important skill which every parent should try to inculcate in their children. First of all make the kids understand that responsibilities will come to them as they age, for which the groundwork should be done now. You can then tell them that keeping their own space clean and organized is one of the major responsibilities that they should undertake. They should be taught that when it comes to cleanliness, it not only remains limited to keeping oneself clean and healthy but is also about keeping their surrounding environment tidy.

Appreciate their Little Contributions towards Maintaining Cleanliness

Teaching cleanliness to kids is one thing but making them adopt it as a habit for the lifetime is another. To make the kids take up cleaning as a part of their daily chores, it is important that they understand its value and practice it on day to day basis. For this to happen, you can start off involving them in minor clean-up tasks and appreciate them for their efforts later. This will help to generate their interest in cleaning as an activity. Praising them for good work will motivate them further to complete any such clean-up tasks assigned to them by you.

Teach them to Value the Surrounding Environment

While teaching or educating the child to clean up, we should also teach them to value the surrounding environment in which they live. Adults can make them realize that this locality is not their sole space but is also shared by others in the locality. And the best ways to show our respect and love towards the environment is by keeping our locality clean and dirt free. However, keep in mind that children imitate others, especially parents, and thus “practicing what we preach” is equally important.

Tell them about the Impact That Litter has on Environmental and Human Health

Messy environment chokes our life and health. This is why it is essential to teach the children not to litter garbage on the street or wherever they feel like. They should be taught that throwing garbage like this is a punishable offense as it destroys the environment and serves home to many diseases. Garbage should always be dumped properly and as advised by the government.

Let Them Do It Themselves – No Rescuing

This concept is quite self-explanatory. Children are prone to messiness and clutter. So let them jump into the work of cleanliness whenever they find themselves uncomfortable with such a mess. They should take the initiative all by themselves. Accepting the imperfection can provide gradual progress and count as an improvement in the child. Kids should make it a part of their healthy habit and thus maintain the hygiene in their house as well as the surrounding environment. A little push towards this good habit is all that is required.

Looking at the rising levels of pollution, teaching cleanliness to children emerges as one of the major responsibilities today. And the problem of pollution is not going to get resolved until and unless each one of us support the cause and start taking care of the environment. Mankind has already done enough damage to the environment and now it’s high time we start taking the issue seriously. It’s time we set up a good example for our kids to follow. We, at JP International School, recognized as the Best International CBSE School in Greater Noida, put great emphasis on such core values that can help the children to understand their responsibility towards the Mother Earth. We believe that the adults should involve the kids in clean-up activities and spread awareness about the benefits of such habits to each and every one. We better take action today, else we’ll have to regret tomorrow!!

- JP International School