The House Fairy: How to Get Your Kids to Clean Their Rooms
The House Fairy is a mythical character brilliantly created and brought to life by Pam Jones, co-author of Sidetracked Home Executives: From Pigpen to Paradise and other great books. For ten bucks you can get a 2-year subscription to the House Fairy program, which includes many printable resources and video clips of the House Fairy motivating your kids to clean their rooms.
If the kids excel at keeping their rooms clean, the House Fairy rewards them with notes of praise and surprises. She leaves her "fairy dust" behind as evidence that she has made inspection... and if the room passes, a surprise will be left behind.
The House Fairy claims to be Sarah Claus, sister of the infamous Santa. She relates stories of visiting the rooms of Cinderella's eight children, the seven dwarfs, and the swamps of Shrek's offspring. If your family doesn't "do" Santa (like my family), don't worry -- those clips can easily be omitted.
I was doubtful at first, but I must say -- my 3 and 5 year old have kept their rooms immaculate on a daily basis since I subscribed to the House Fairy a month and a half ago! After just 60 seconds of House Fairy video clips, they are trying to motivate me to get off my bum and pick up ten out-of-place items right along with them (and we have even gotten the whole house tidied up this way -- watch a House Fairy clip, everyone pick up 10 items in the ______ room, repeat...)! And they get incredibly excited about their "House Fairy prizes," which have included simple items such as Play Dough, House Fairy printouts with a new box of crayons, NutriGrain bars, and a CD of "Happy, Healthy Songs."
If the House Fairy should visit and find that the room doesn't meet inspection, a simple flicker of her dust will have your kids in action sprucing up their messy room just as soon as they see it.
If you have trouble getting your kids to clean their rooms, I suggest you give it a shot. I can agree with the majority of House Fairy subscribers that it will be highly worth your $10 investment. It would also make a great Christmas gift from Grandma!
Published by Kristin McPherson
I am a creative, fun individual who is honored to be the wife of a hero and mommy to six beautiful kidlets. We are active in children's ministry and own the website www.childrens-church-ministry.com. View profile
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- The House Fairy rewards children with fairy dust, encouraging notes, and surprises.
- A 2-year subscription to House Fairy is only $10.