at what age should a child start cleaning up their own mess?

Question

and if they don't what's the punishment?thanks

Answer 1

I started my kids at 2 helping me clean it up, a little more at 3 and so forth. By 4-5 they should be cleaning it up . If my children dont, I take away what they didnt pick up. It goes in the attic in a basket, Soon they wont have anything to play with, Give them back slowly. Limiting their choices.

Take away TV time. Until its done. My 5 yr old would not pick up his ninja turtles, I kept tellling him too. I warned him, pick them up or im seelling them. He ignored me. I had a garage sale, i sold all but like 3. He had TONS. I sold them 3 for a quarter. ( mind you I paid 5.99-9.99 for these each. And sold his legos he would not pick up.

He learned quickly MOMMY was serious when she threatens lol

Answer 2

The earlier the better, I have a 5 year old and from an early age I have stressed that her room is her private space and to keep it nice. I cant remember the exact age, 3 maybe 4. As for punishment, dont let them watch TV for the day/evening or remove something that they really love to play with.

I also do a marble jar with my daughter (well its a pebble jar as these were more readily available) We have big pebbles for excellent behaviour and little ones for good behaviour. If she's a good girl she gets a small pebble, if she's been really good a couple of small pebbles and if she's been excellent she gets a big pebble, the reverse is that if she's naughty I remove a pebble. Once the jar if full she gets a treat of her choice i.e. bowling, cinema, swimming etc and it works a treat.

You could also try a sticker chart, make a chart on a piece of paper with days down the longer side and then spilt it up into 4 columns, morning, afternoon, evening and the additional one for tidying up, keeping bedroom clean, doing jobs at home. Each time your little one does good let them pick a sticker for that part of the day and if there not good put a big bold cross in the box. A chart full of sticker deserves a small treat but a chart with one cross gets nothing and has to try harder the next week.

These options are visuals and kids thrive of being able to see how well they are doing and believe me it works.

Answer 3

As soon as the child is walking well, I feel that it is the best time to start teaching the idea of cleanliness, but don't expect them to be able to do this by themselves until they're at LEAST 3 or 4 (depending on the maturity level of the particular child).

Our 2 year old still has to be reminded (and helped) to clean her room/pick up her toys. But if she spills a drink at her table (she has her own), she says "Uh-oh!" and comes and asks for a paper towel. I give a couple to her, and take a couple myself and help her, and she actually gets down and helps. I then praise her for helping to take care of the house.

I don't punish for NOT cleaning, but rather MAKE her help. This is a bit stressing sometimes, with all the crying, but it is neither harmful, nor mean to expect it.

What we did, when first teaching, was to ask for her help in cleaning up her messes. If she would deny or ignore, then one of us would walk over, take her by the hand, and bring her (or in some rebellious cases, practically drag her!) over to the mess and take her by the hand and physically help her to help clean the mess up. She doesn't deny or ignore anymore, but gets praise when she DOES help, and therefore WANTS to help.

When she gets older, the punishment for not taking care of the house will be the same as WE get for not taking care of the house - we have to spend time that we would RATHER be doing something else on cleaning the house on the weekend. Bummer for us, and it will be a bummer on her as well. Until she's an adult, I don't HAVE to let her do anything except eat, sleep, clean, and learn.

Answer 4

I started showing my son how to clean right after he learned to walk. He will help me around the house all day if he could. He picks up his own toys, clothes, and anything else out of place. He hasn't even turned two yet!!! I don't think you should punish a small child (infant-5) because it's not their job to be a responsible adult and organize messes. However, if the child is older and knows not to make huge messes but they do regardless of your best attempts to encourage them to clean, then take away privileges, ground them and you can even take away their allowance.

Answer 5

Personally I think children should be doing this really early. Even when they are about 2. You just play with them and their toys and then say "ok it's time to clean up" and you help them put their toys away. That way they learn early that they should clean up after themselves.

If you haven't done that, then anytime after is still good, if they are young you can help them clean up and if they are a little bit older 5+ they can do it on their own.

About punishments, I would just say... you can't watch your favourite show or go outside and play with your friends until it is done. Just give them some motivation to actually do it, instead of really "punishing" them.

I hope that helps!

Answer 6

About 19.

Answer 7

I started to teach my son how to clean up at 3. He cleans his room almost every night (he is 4 1/2 now) and does a really good job. All I have to do is sweep/mop his floor. There are days when he dosen't want to clean up his mess and I'll say that I will toss the toys if he dosent pick them up and he'll say "we'll can u just throw them away, I dont want them", just so he dosen't have to pick them up (just lazy sometimes).Thats when I break out the broom and sweep all of it in a pile and by the time I get bk from getting the garbage bag the toys magically dissappeared where they belonged. LOL.

Answer 8

The early the better at the age of 3 years.Start teaching them early when they grow they shall not depart from. In this case the punishment is to show him how to remove their valuables.Sensitize them on the danger of mes sings like their toys wish can be broken at any time.

Answer 9

When a child makes a mess such as toys or crayons and are able to walk start showing them how to pick up their own toys. 9 or 10 months at the least.Show them what to do and tell them at a young age so it won't be an issue as they get older.

Answer 10

A parent should start this at around 2 years old and by 4, a child can put away his own toys by himself.