For all you mothers out there.?

Question

I was just wondering if anyone knows a good way to get their kids to pick up after themselves. My daughter (whos 3) will go to her room and get out every toy she has...but then when it comes time to pick them up shes like uh huh no way. I don't care to pick up her toys but sometimes it gets kinda aggravating when i have to go pick up every single toy she owns 3 & 4 times a day. When we are at someone elses house and she gets toys out she will pick them up and put them back without me even asking her too. My 19 month old son is the same way...he used to help her pick them up and he will also pick them up if were at someone elses house but they will not pick their own toys up. So just wondering if anyone knew any good techniques into getting them to pick their toys up. Like a fun game to have them do or something? Oh and before i would always give them a dollar for picking their toys up and that don't work anymore...i've even offered them a dollar for every toy they pick up lol but nope.

Oh yea i've tried the time method. I put her in timeout and make her sit there for 3 minutes..since shes 3. Then i tell her to go to her room and pick her toys up ..I'll check on her 5 mins later to see if she has picked them up and sometimes she would but then sometimes no so i would stick her back in time out for another 2 1/2 minutes and then pick them up.

Answer 1

Have her work on one task at a time. Rather than saying, Okay, it's time to pick up your toys". Trying breaking the task into smaller more manageable increments. For instance, "Okay, let's start over here and get the dollies put away. After that we'll work on the blocks." Make sure that there is a consistent way for her to easily put things away. If the room is pretty well organized then it won't be hard for her to stay with the system and get things put away in there proper places. Help her the first couple of times. Reward her for trying to do it even if she doesn't do it quite right. Good luck to you.

Answer 2

well what works with my kids was telling them if I had to pick them up again I was going to pick them up into the trash can!

and then when ever I had to pick up a toy I actually threw it away!
they got the point really quik that I ment business. now I can say clean up time and all the toys go back to where they belong!!!
(note if it was a really expensive toy or a recent gift from {grandma} I would throw it behind the trash can instead of in it and the get it and hide for a while before giving it back)(but they still thought I had thrown it away they thought the one they got back was a new one)

Answer 3

I used to have this problem with my girl, who is now 5 years old. We always tell her that if she to put back the toys after playing, I will throw it away when I see those toys on the floor. I tried once by throwing out my front door and she scream and cry. I make she to promise that she will put back after playing, if not I will throw out again and not pick up for her anymore.

Answer 4

Yeah,i had the same problem with my four year old.I would ask him to pick up his toys ,he'll say "i am too tired".Then whatever he asked from me,I'd say i am too tired.I didn't even give him lunch until he picked up his toys.It took us 4 episodes.At first he got very upset.But shortly after he got the message.He would try it again once in a while "i am tired line"I won't say anything.I 5 minutes "Mommy can i have an ice cream"Nope Mommy is tired.He'll walk to his room and he'll start picking up his toys.

Answer 5

Don't bribe them with money or anything else. Tell them that they either pick them up or they don't get to play with them. Simple! My son has a toy guitar and he tried to step on it and almost broke it so I put it up, and he threw a fit, but I told him that if it gets broken it goes in the garbage. Same thing with not picking up toys. If they don't pick them up and they get stepped on and broken they need to go in the trash, and don't replace them.

Answer 6

if she does not pick them up tell her that the toys she does not pick up or put away , you will take it away[ for a day, week, ] or that you will give them or throw them away ......maybe when she sees the toys are gone she will be more agreeable to do what she is asked to do..... as for the 19 month old baby, i am not sure if that will work [a little to young?? but try it and see what happens... he is copying his sister...........

Answer 7

Well I was going to answer the question but then I re-read the beginning of the question....and as I am not a mother (I'm only a father) I guess I'm not qualified to answer.

Lucky for me my kids pick up their toys when they are done.

Answer 8

when i have this problem i just tell him that i throw the toys away and he start to pick them up with a little help from me.

Answer 9

here's what i did with my son. I took his toys outta his room and only left a few toys. my son was always dumping out his two toy boxes and never wanting to clean it. Now that they are in a differnet room he takes a few every now and then and I left a few in his room to play with. There is no mess and he is still happy!!!

Answer 10

well my 4 yr old daughter is like that and I'll just tell her if u can't pick up your toys then you can't play with them. well now she sees that after she don't pick them up she don't play with them for a day i don't have to ask her now she says mommy ima pick up my toys like a big girl cause i like to play