I've tried explaining the benefits and also the carrot and stick policy, but it all has only a momentary effect. What can I do to encourage them in maintaining the habit?
2007-03-10 18:58:46 · 18 answers · asked by FUM 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
I don't wast alot of words with my kids for reasoning. I like to have so much time having fun and so that leaves very little time to get them in trouble. To put my theory into action, I became a person of action. For room cleaning i set the timer for 2 hours and then I go in with a garbage bag. It works quit well. Only had to throw stuff out twice. Also, every month or so, I go in and help her re organize and teach her where stuff goes and how to fold clothes and how to organzie her room to find everythign and maximize her space (talkign works better in these moments then when you are trying to 'start' them doing a chore).
2007-03-10 19:03:49 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
If their room is full of stuff which aides in the mess then remove all the irrelevant things and leave just the basics. Tell them that since they cant keep it clean then they dont need all those things messing it up for them. Now and then allow something to be brought back and tell them to be sure and keep it neat or it will be taken away again. Keep doing this slowly and encouraging neatness and eventually they will either learn to be neat and keep their things or live in a bare room with just the basics. Up to them.
2007-03-14 23:08:03 · answer #2 · answered by coolred38 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here is what my mother did...
She would let me keep my room as dirty as I possibly wanted...im talking dirty clothes everywhere, clutter all over the place...paper, books, toys, whatever...everywhere....I mean I lived in a complete disaster...then one day, she came in and "threw" everything important to me away....favorite shoes, clothes, books, phone, tv, etc....and then made me spend a whole weekend cleaning up everything else, I had to clean the fan, windows, shampoo the carpet, the whole nine yards....Then she would come in there everyday, and check, and if there was ANYTHING out place, like if when I had put my clean clothes that day i had just crammed them into a drawer or stashed them under the bed or whatever, she would empty every drawer, the whole closet, everything off the top of the dresser into the middle of the room, and I would have to spend another whole day cleaning everything all over again.....And if the next time she came in for inspection it was clean, then she let believe that she bought another pair of my fav jeans , shoes, whatever....
Now I am VERY hard headed so it took me about 4 times her doing that before I realized that if I just took the extra 5 minutes to put everything way the first time, that I would not have to spend a whole day cleaning....BUT it worked.....Now, I cant stand a mess, and I am a complete neat freak!
Be tough! And do not argue...if you argue then they will feel that they are justified!
GOod luck!
2007-03-16 16:44:21 · answer #3 · answered by jess_pickel 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can have them pick up everynight before they go to bed. A little bit every day is easier than a huge mess! I seperate my daughter's toys into plastic storage bins, so the My Little Ponies and the Barbies aren't out at the same time. But I seriously think that neatnik is a personality trait, and some people will never be that way. I don't really mind if my daughter's room is messy, as long as it doesn't spill into the rest of the house.
2007-03-10 19:56:31 · answer #4 · answered by autumndaesy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In our house we use a chart system and according to their age they have chores that they must do each night. Simply straightening their rooms, setting the table for dinner, feeding the dog, completing their homework, if all of these tasks are met each night they earn a star if they are missing a star at the end of the week they do not earn their allowances and they also loose the right to an activity (mine like to go ice skating with their friends on Friday evenings.) My two boys share a room they are 11 and 6. They are responsible for the side of the room that their bed is on, we have an imaginery line in the middle of the room and they must take care of everything on their side. They have to make sure that toys, clothes, and anything else is picked up each night before bed. Then on Thursday nights they are to dust, and vaccum their room. They do pretty well, as they don't like to have to look at the chart and see a star missing. Try giving them incentives for cleaning up their room and if you have them straighten each night it won't have to chance to get messy.
2007-03-15 07:48:51 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing I have ever done has worked but it didn't stop me from trying. Some Ideas. Take pictures of how you like something.
Hang them on a bulletin board. Count how many things you find out of place.
Video tape 1st how you clean and organize and when you clean and organize.
Brake it down.
Decide when would be the best time for them to accomplish a task. 1/2 hour before bed. Example they remove their clothes they check for spots, spot clean turn in the way you want them turned and placed in the place you want them placed. do this for 2 weeks. Now they know what you expect, when you expect it done and that you will check that it has been done.
Move on to the next item.
Good luck. I ended up throwing all of my daughters stuff out because she absolutely refused to pick up. I even took her bed away at one point. I have very stubborn children. Like me.
2007-03-16 17:34:46 · answer #6 · answered by granny_sp 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had some children that I used to babysit they shared a rm and I praised them for the two sq foot space that was uncluttered how clean it was and how I wished that I could see the rest of the room like that because it just looked so good. After a while the entire rm was clean for the most part.
2007-03-10 19:09:38 · answer #7 · answered by Kari K 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
keep talking to them, make a role model by ur self,,, u cant tell them to be neat if u r nt for instance,,, make a chart like an intensive chart,buy them a present if the room is clean for a week or so,, you can buy nice pink girly boxes to keep up thier stuff and toys in, the main thing is never to giveup and say that today am nt in the mood for it, keep it up and GOOD LUCK
2007-03-16 10:27:14 · answer #8 · answered by rima 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What about you have the star chart system. For everyday they keep it clean they get a star on the chart.
When they reach 30 stars they are rewarded in some way - ie McDonalds, Small Gift etc
2007-03-10 20:08:01 · answer #9 · answered by melly 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The House fairy website. It has great reviews, about encouraging children to clean up their rooms. Good luck.
2007-03-10 20:40:30 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋