Cleaning is such a chore. It is a major undertaking for me as an adult, but for my child an even more laborious task. To pick up a room full of toys takes so much cajoling and bribery. We raced each other between my job of dishes and kitchen duties and her room full of little people to put away. She found prizes for me in the form of flowers she'd pick from the yard when I would "win". I was actually motivated to work more knowing I would get a handpicked prize from my daughter. Sometimes, I think she'd just declare me a winner so she could take a break and run outside. She worked for polly pockets that I'd scored at a resale. For a very major undertaking like this, there is a desirable prize. A little extrinsic motivation at age four. I loved the conversation she had with her dad later in the evening as they read stories on the couch. "Dad I cleaned so much today! I hardly worked!" I smiled at this and heard my husband reply, "Did you work so hard?" I want to remember this. The things we say and do in this ordinary life are important and memorable. The cleaning races. The flower prizes. The days we "hardly work".