by Michelle Stein posted in Parenting

Any woman with kids will tell you keeping a clean house is a constant, often losing, battle. By the time one room is conquered, the next room is already trashed. When you have little little kids who need almost constant supervision, it feels extra futile.
Seriously, how are parents of babies and toddlers supposed to clean when kids are actively undoing their hard work" Full disclosure: I have three children, and I still haven't figured this one out.
Sometimes, I can get my kiddos to "help" me clean. We have a toy vacuum, and my 19-month-old will drag hers around while I wage war on the endless crumbs/cat hair with the real vacuum. That keeps her busy for maybe a few minutes, then I have to stop every 2 minutes to prevent her from climbing and jumping off everything. Toddlers are a joy.
My 6-year-old and 3-year-old will also help dust and clean glass surfaces. Until they inevitably start bickering and I'm forced to intervene. That's when I whip out my secret weapon: A movie. Or a snack. (Or both, if I really want to clean.)
Honestly, I just wing it when it comes to cleaning. So maybe I'm not the best person to look to for advice.

In the BabyCenter Community, moms of not-quite toddlers have been comparing their cleaning strategies. Because they've learned from experience that keeping a clean house while caring for a little one is no easy feat. "Mommy confession. I feel like my house is an absolute wreck!" th...