.How do you get a six year old to tidy up after themselves?

Question

My little boy is very good, except for one thing. He is extremely untidy with his toys. As I work full time, at the end of a busy day the last thing I want to do before putting him to bed is tidy up. He is well able but soooo lazy. When I tell him to do it, he drops to his knees and says: ' but Mum, it is just so big, I just CAN'T do it' He is also very lazy about getting himself dressed. I lay his clothes out for him but he is more than happy to stay in his PJs all day rather than dressing himself.....Help

Answer 1

Try rewarding him with sweets that he likes for doing these things. Then, eventually give him less and less until he does it without a prize.

If you have to do the tidying up then let him see you reward yourself with the sweets.

Answer 2

we have had a reward chart over the summer, with a sticker for each night that she has passed bedroom inspection. this has meant that she gets a DVD or other commensurate treat after 10 stickers. she has tried a lot harder than without the rewards, and I think this is much more positive than punishment (and more likely to work). When she gets a sticker there is praise, well over the top. Also the chart looks really cool. There needs to be constant reminders as well, and a toughness in sticking with what you say. I normally go un early afternoon for a preliminary inspection, tell her what needs to be done to 'make the grade' - helping to make the task set achievable.

Incredibly, for a VERY creative/untidy child, we've had success about three quarters of the time. It may seem like a lot of effort jsut for a tidy bedroom, but I think it's worth it, especially if it eventually means she'll do it unaided. Roll on sticker charts!!

By the way, if she doesn't tidy her room, it just stays untidy. She can't get her toys out, she can't play. she loses play space - so there is a negative incentive too - it just doesn't come from us.

hope this helps

chris

Answer 3

I must admit the hoover works every time. i get the hoover out and tell my 5 year old I am doing that room next. He has 5 mins to pick up before I hoover. It usually works although i agree with the others that if there is too much mess it is overwhelming for him so then i split the mess in half and say i'll do half if he does the other. ... but then you have to stick to it and not do his half (plus you have to hoover!)

i also have a friend whose house is always tidy .... what she does is all their toys are in their bedroom and they have a cardboard box of toys about 20" by 12" to bring downstairs to play with.....this way there is never too much mess. Oh and she never worries about their bedrooms she just shuts the door.!!!

On getting dressed - I race him - making sure that sometimes he wins. this keeps the fun and he is more likely to try.

good luck

Answer 4

rewards work every time my 6 year old on a school day comes down ready for school each morning on a promise that at the end of the week he can have a pound to go to the local sweet shop or do what ever he likes with it. He gets a bonus if his room is tidy

Answer 5

Make him a things to do board with those gold sticky stars if he does everything on the board like getting dressed and cleaning up his toys he gets a star for each and if he does it everyday for a week give him a treat. Incentives work great, dont let him be lazy about it because he is controlling you and you are the parent you need to be in control.

Answer 6

try to teach him to only take out a couple of toys at a time, if he wants more then he has to put some of the toys he already has away first, it shouldnt take long for him to get it and maybe give him a chart on your fridge at home and give him a star for every day he tidys up after himself and have a small reward for him if he gets a whole week of tidy stars

Answer 7

I have a 6 year old son as well. While he is usually pretty good about picking up, there are "those days". After I have asked him to pick up his toys and he still hasn't, I tell him that anything he decides to not pick up will go in "THE BOX". I put them in a box in the closet and he has to earn those things back. As far as getting dressed, I tell him that I am timing him and to see if he can get his "best time ever". It usually works. GL!

Answer 8

Get a chore chart with specific tasks written, with rewards at the end of the week for completion of daily tasks (can include tidying up, brushing teeth etc).

Also...with my nephew - he makes a tremendous mess and it's really overwhelming...so what I did was make him help me clean his room up then when it was orderly and proper, we began the chore chart. Like starting with a clean slate.

Also make him put one set of toys away before dragging out others

AND if worse comes to worse and he refuses, then simply say the next time he doesn't tidy up before bed then all toys left out go into the trash. OR simply collect them into a bag and stick them in a closet. He can earn those toys back when he starts keeping his other toys cleaned up.

Best of luck!

Answer 9

Tel him if he does not tidy up he won't have friend to play with him. or he won't have any treat all for ex: tv or something he likes. that's what I do. if you stick on it it will work because I understand they all don't like this chore they would say it's too long or too difficult. One other thing is to have him clean toys one after one . which means after playing with one toys he put that toy away and take another one. that way it won't give him a load of work at the end of the day. Hope it will work for him

Answer 10

Tell him if he doesn't you'll take some of his toys to the charity shop.
if this doesn't work then actually take away some of his toys and hide them, tell them you've got rid of them because he wouldn't do as you asked. this should make him realise your seriousand after a couple of weeks pretend you bought him his toys back and he was lucky the shop still had them, because he's been so good at tidying up and give him back his toys.