how do i get my 5yr old and 3yr old to stop being so messy?

Question

my kids fight with me all day to clean up there messes and i still end up cleaning it up how do i get them to stop fighting with me and have them help??

Answer 1

you need to stop doing it they have realized that if they fight with you long enough you will do it for them also make it fun like who ever cleans the room faster or mess faster will get extra candy or tell them that when santa comes if he sees messes hes gonna fall down and not be able to bring them presents ~good luck

Answer 2

I was strict with the kids to keep the room clean, even having inspections every so often. It all came back at me when they became teens and rebelled. The first thing that went out the window was the clean room. Now that they are away at college it stays cleaner because they are not home long enough for it to get that messy again. I now believe some kids are messy and some are neat, just go with it and be thankful you have just this little problem and they are healthy.
P.S. I used to get out of sorts and threaten to throw all my daughters posessions in a garbage can and she would have to live out it in the basement. I finally gave in and decided at least she is home, I close her door and let her be. She talks to me and says she loves me when she leaves for school. Do you know of anyone who has kids who hate their parents because of how demanding they were. Pick a different battle, there will be plenty.

Answer 3

If you figure that out... PLEASE LET ME KNOW... I will even give you my email address. lol. I have three children ages almost 7, just turned 5, and almost 3. I can't keep any one room clean for longer than 10 minutes. Some people will tell you to correct them, or to make them help clean up the mess, or this or that. Trust me.. I have tried EVERYTHING in the book, and NOTHING has helped me so far. Luckily for me, my youngest is sort of a neat freak, she will pick up after herself, but that's nothing that I have taught her to do, she just does it on her own I think. The other two.. I can beat them ;) yell, threaten punishment.. etc. I can try to make a game out of it, make them stay there until it is all picked up.

The past few days, there's only one thing I have found that works. If I tell them to pick up.. I also add, that after they tell me they are finished, whatever is left on the floor gets swept away into the trash.. they make sure to pick up what they want, if there are any toys left on the floor.. hey, that's one less toy I will have to pick up next time. and they know I ment business. Good luck... to you and me. lol.

Answer 4

I agree with woodchuck. Get a calendar with chores that are age appropiate. Like cleaning room, picking up toys in living room, clearing own plate after a meal, etc. Then if they do them, they get a star. First start doing it by day, if they get all stars then they can have an extra scoop of ice cream or something like that. Then you can go to once a week and take them to the Dollar Tree. Good Luck and Take Care

Answer 5

Try making cleanup time fun once in a while. Here are somethings I do with my daycare
Sometimes I will count the items each child puts away to make it more exciting
other times I have them cleaning up as fast as they can and when i stop playing music they stop and have to be completly still then I turn it back on and they clean up.

Answer 6

I have a rewards chart as well... when they clean up they will get a star and once they all get a certain amount of starts, we get to go out to eat, have a movie night, etc. This makes them want to clean... I dont even have to ask them now. (3 year olds)

Answer 7

What works for me is Make it Fun.... Get a rewards system in place and have the kids work towards something when they do a good job cleaning up.

Answer 8

When my nieces were little, I painted a cardboard box with a picture of a butler on it. When they didn't pick things up and put them away when they were done, I would pick them up and put them in the "Butler Box". When they asked where something was, I could say "The Butler did it!" They had to pay a dime or do 10 cents worth of work to get their toy or book or clothing back. They learned real fast to pick up after themselves when they were at my house! :)

Answer 9

Mine's four, and if she doesn't want her stuff in the trash, she has to pick it up. I also tell her that it's her responsibility. Everyone has the responsibility of picking up after themselves in our house. She made the mess, so she has to clean it up. If she doesn't want to clean, she shouldn't have made a mess!

Answer 10

ohh I was just thinking about that now.. its like an obstical course on my home floor.. we never walk through the rooms at night.. or someone will get hurt.. Its hard.. but the phase will pass... Later only there rooms will be messy, when they become teens they will never leave there rooms.. so wait it out.. I cant wait!