How can you get your kids to keep their room's clean?

Question

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

Answer 1

I don't have kids but i'm 17 and my room is still wreck. It's really just a hassle to clean. I know I'll change somedaya. but for now hey, my door is always shut, it's MY room noi one goes in it so, who cares? They're still young and it should get better. =]

Answer 2

Here is the BIG One. No kid like to clean their rooms (maybe a few). Here is what worked for me:
Buy containers to help them keep it organized
Help them get organized the first time and then tell them you expect it to look like that every Sunday or whatever day?
Make it fun the first time.
Strat a chore chart for each kid and they get a gold star for each week it is clean. Then after four weeks they get to pick a special activity to do (something unique) just for them.
eliminate unused toys and clutter. Put in boxes in garage and rotate toys in and out every few months always giving them new ones to play with. This take care of too much.
Praise them when ever they clean and spend time with them. All kids want their parents time and will do anything to get it.
Kids have a right to have a room the way they like it even messy as long as it is cleaned on one day in the week so that it does not get to be a health concern. Don't ever constantly go into their rooms and pick up. It will generate low self esteem. Give them the responsibility.
Cherish this time it will be long gone soon, I know mine are big now.

Answer 3

I would try positive reinforcement - that is, giving them positive consequences when they clean their room.

You can start by saying "if you put 10 of your toys in your toy box (or whatever) I'll give you a little treat!" It can be something really small, but something they like. And it certainly doesn't have to be food. But it is an incentive. If they do it, reward them. If they don't, let them know that they didn't get a treat because they didn't do the task. Once they start expecting the treat everytime they should start cleaning doing the task every day. When it feels right you can tell them that if they put more than 10 toys away they might get a bigger treat.

We talked about this extensively in psychology class and it's a very basic fact about people and animals. If an action has a positive consequence, we tend to repeat it.

What would be great is if they get so used to doing it that by the time they're teens they just do it without thinking about it, but...who knows :)

Answer 4

No Clean Room,No Seat At The Table When Its Time To Eat,When U Get Older U Don't Work No House No Electric,No Groceries,Now Is The Time For Em To Understand They R Required To Do Their Part to Make The World Work..At Least U R Catching The Problem Early,Stand Firm And It Will Solve Itself...Good Luck...

Answer 5

first off dont expect a 3, 5, & 7 year old to clean like you would. Picking up their toys is a great beginning. Also clothes in the hamper is a big help. The 3 year old will need some help. Just don't let them leave their room til its done. They can call you when they are ready for an inspection. Hopefully they don't have a tv in their rooms (thats a bad idea for any kid). They will tire of being in their room. Have a basket for each of their clothes and a place for their toys. This worked for mine. But you have to stick to your guns. They CANT leave their room til its done. m

Answer 6

ok, did you say You used to clean their rooms? that's the first problem.... never clean their rooms.....unless ..... I set the timer (depending on the depth of toys on the floor) 30min usually works. tell them they have that much time to clean- then you send them out of the room- close the door-have a large bag with you- and put everything on the floor into the bag- don;t be a wimp!!! everything they did not pick up into the bag- let them go with you to the local salvation army- hospice etc.... and donate the bag! my daughter cleans very well now- I had to stick to my guns though, and it may be hard- some of the first things were expensive. but if they don't care enough to put them away...... you can give a slight warning the first time, like you may not see these things again..... oh ya, we shop at those stores, so it really made an impact when my daughter saw Her toys for sale and I did not buy them back! be strong it's just stuff

Answer 7

Don't turn on the television until each has their own room done. Inspect each room when they come and tell you it's finished, if it isn't, have them go back and do it again. Remove all toys as well. They can get them back in their rooms along with the privilege of watching television, once their rooms are clean. Place each child in a separate room so they can't play with each other, may work, too. Stick to your guns, teach them when they are little. Good luck. I hope this helps.

Answer 8

I'm 14 and my mom is always getting me to clean my room. After awhile she gave up and my mess in my room got bigger and bigger. So big that I could hardly find a place to sit w/o sitting on stuff. I even grew scared to go in my room too. Now I'm starting to clean it up!!
I say, you let the room get out of control and then your kids will be annoyed by the mess and might want to clean it up.
Or, you could always do the old "no TV until the room is clean" trick.

Answer 9

I cause them to sparkling it on each and every occasion it gets messy, that's prevalent for my daughter, not lots with my son. My daughter is likewise a hoarder, and that i'm the appropriate opposite. she would be in a position to truly save extremely trash to beautify her room with. i will throw something away that may not used frequently. I hate clutter and do ok residing without it. I in simple terms permit her do her destruction and then i bypass in there an tell her to bathe her room, frequently in the previous or genuine after dinner.

Answer 10

What has worked me is to help my son clean it up, we make a game out of it and get to spend time with each other, we pack up one box to take to the Salvation Army for other kids who dont have much and that seems to get him to want to help (when his room gets really messy) . Sometimes I tell him we will go for a treat afterwards like go get an ice cream or go to the park.