This won’t be a very exciting post. Fair warning 
Over the summer our kids spent plenty of time away from home and it brought something to my attention about (pre)teenagers and their cleaning habits.
Teach them to pick up after themselves and to offer to help out around wherever they are being sent. Sure they might not do it at home very well, or even happily, but it has been my experience that most kids don’t mind helping out and do a much better job of it when they aren’t home.
Remind them to offer their help (doing dishes, picking up rooms, babysitting, whatever) just before they leave for their trip.
Even if they are the best kids ever, they are still (pre)teenagers, not completely dependable and slightly self-absorbed. Remind their host that is is perfectly acceptable to ASK their guest to do things. If they are like my children, they will gladly help with whatever the task, it just won’t occur to them to offer.
I don’t have kids, but I can say that teaching your kids this kind of lesson will be a HUGE relationship booster in their future. If they don’t learn to pick up after themselves or help around the house now, they never will. No matter how many times the spouse threatens them with a laundry strike.
Cindy´s last blog ..LOVE THURSDAYS