I dred the days I have to ask my daughter to clean her room. It's a never ending battle that I'm almost positive will get worse with age! I have tried threatening her by telling her I will throw away what is not picked up or offered her treats after she is done...but it almost never gets done. I want her to understand that this is her responsibility. I don't expect her room to be spotless but instead a comfortable place for her to play in. So how can I get her to become more motivated without losing my hair!? Thanks!!!
2007-02-06 09:17:56 · 19 answers · asked by pinkierose 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
make it a game! i babysit all the time and i have a brother i no how you feel! What you need to do is when you tell her to pick up her room you need to pick up your room to and say who ever finishes first gets to pick dinner or something like that! Go slow and let her win! make sure every few minutes you go in her room and say " hey your winning thats not fair your really good at this game"!
2007-02-06 09:31:13 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
make it a game. Honey go put everything that is red away...or just the dolls etc. Really make sure everything has a proper place that's user friendly. Label where things belong using pictures. Have regular clean up times each day. Play with one thing at a time then put it away before playing with something else. Make bed before breakfast. Clean up before Lunch and Dinner. Limit access to a few toys or games, then rotate them each month. Always seems like new toys coming. Also, be sure you don't still have toys that she's had since birth and has outgrown. Just too much to manage.
2007-02-06 09:37:51 · answer #2 · answered by justcurious 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my four year old son is a task oriented fellow, i tell him specifics, we also have clear totes with labels to help organize and show him the way to be organized, cars here, blocks here etc. I also have a time and we race the clock, we call them 10 min. tidies. no still bodies for ten minutes and then we sit and have tea, or juice after the task is done. Lead by example, make it fun, she will learn with repetition. I have also allowed the boy's room to get so messy that they were unable to walk through their room without stepping on a toy, we then went in and cleaned up together just to show how much nicer and fun it is to play in a clean, less cluttered room.
2007-02-06 09:31:38 · answer #3 · answered by taffneygreen 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I started having our 4 year old help me clean up when she was around 18 months. Nothing major, but I would sing songs and make it fun. She is a great helper and keeps her room very tidy all by herself. Maybe you could try making a game out of it. We just make up songs about cleaning and then I give her a lot of praise when we are all done. Our son is a different story though! LOL! He will pick up some things, but not a lot. He is getting there though. Good luck!
2007-02-06 09:23:42 · answer #4 · answered by Tracie 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Two methods work well.
1) Do it with her and make it fun (time it, see how fast you can do it, turn music on, etc).
or
2) Do not let her move on to a favored activity until the room is picked up. For example, if she wants to play in the backyard say, "Yes, you can play outside as soon as your room is cleaned up." Then stick to your guns and she'll eventually do it. If she doesn't do it, she doesn't get to do the activity she wanted. Be consistent and it will work.
2007-02-06 09:39:09 · answer #5 · answered by MysteryWriter 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When a four-year-old's room can be seriously messy, she's got too many toys.
Spend a Saturday going through her toy box. Tell her that she can keep X amount of toys, and then store away the rest. Every couple of weeks, let her TRADE toys in her room for toys in the boxes. After awhile, let her start earning back the rest of the toys.
That's how we do it at my house.
2007-02-06 12:42:25 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Make it a game, set a certain things to pick up (books or teddies etc) and race to see who can put the most away. But do it with her. And always let her win and makea big fuss about how quick she is and neatly she put them away. Then move on to the next thing.
Put on music and dance and be silly as you clean up.
Just make it as fun as you can and that way she will enjoy it and it wont be such a task.
2007-02-06 11:17:57 · answer #7 · answered by Monkey Magic 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have to be consistant! If you say "Im going to throw away your toys unless you clean your room." You actually have to do it, so she will know you a serious. You cant just threaten without action, therefore you've become powerless and she wont take you seriously. Ask her to clean, if she simply refuses, take away one toy at a time, and let her see you throwing them away, eventually she'd give in and you'll be in control again! Good Luck!
2007-02-06 09:29:33 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
With my little sister..I take away toys. If she doesn't clean her room..I go in and start cleaning, and what ever I pick up off the floor is mine until the next week...IF she keeps her room picked up. I also will reward her for keeping her room clean by buying her something new..and give her old toys back.
2007-02-06 09:27:36 · answer #9 · answered by Bevin M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm no expert but if it was me, I would "help" her to clean up and do it together and maybe have a chat about the day etc etc. If she doesn't help then stop cleaning and ask her to help you again. From seeing my nieces and nephews and how they act etc etc, they seem to mimic their parents so you never know, she may decided she wants to be like mummy and clean up too!! Can only give it a try xx good luck
2007-02-06 10:05:34 · answer #10 · answered by Jo 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋