Earning their keep

I gave the three eldest children each a washcloth doused in floor cleaner.

I assigned them each a section of the dining room floor, all to themselves, for which they were totally responsible.

And then I said the magic words:

"Let's see who can do the best job getting their section clean!"

I've learned the secret with these siblings. Make it a contest, and no one stops until they've won.

My floors have never been so shiny.

This was a tight race, and in the end, it was impossible to tell who had achieved the highest level of cleanliness for their area.

I promised them a rematch. They promised to remind me.

This is a winning formula for sure.