Does anyone out there have a technique that works for getting a tween (9 - 12 yr old) to clean his/her room?

Question

As much detail as possible, please!!!!!!!

I said, "that works". Not some smart-@ss comment!!

Answer 1

I have an idea that doesn't include punishment! How rare!

Okay, so tell your child that you will give them a dollar for every day it is clean. Also, tell him/her that they can make it fun by doing this:

Make a game out of it! If the child is a girl, act like she is working in a store, and talk to her while she is cleaning.

For boys, well, I don't really know...but talking to somebody while cleaning always helps.

I AM 15, SO I KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE FORCED TO CLEAN MY ROOM! THIS HAS WORKED FOR ME!

Answer 2

Must be pretty spoiled already if he/she already has his/her own room.

Bribery is the only answer that ever is worth anything. But in a way that helps him/her learn the value of actions having consequences. For example, suppose he/she has a fav activity, let's say, just for arguement, that it's a boy and his favorite thing is playing soccer. He wants a new ball. Tell him that a new ball is worth 5 individual room cleanings. You can make a little chart and stick it on the fridge or whatever. When you ask him to clean the room and he does it, you put a sticker or check mark or whatever on the chart. When he gets to 5, you will take him to the store to get the new ball. OR, even better, you give him a fifth of whatever a ball costs ($5, I'm guessing). Then when you take him to the store, he can begin to learn the value of money and the importance of decision-making in the real world because he may want the ball, but he also may want a CD or a video game or whatever.

You can see how you can turn this into a system for all his chores in exchange for an allowance. It works great and teaches at the same time. And if he winds up without whatever it is that he wants, it will be because he made some poor choices.

Answer 3

My daughter is 10 and i have found making a game out of it works for me and it becomes less of a argument.

1) I set the timer for 10 minutes..we play beat the clock..If they can get their rooms picked up before the timer goes off they get a prize..I keep small prizes on hand (candy bars,stickers,etc) in a shoe box..If they beat it then they win..of course if they are almost done ill give them a break and reset it another 5 mins.

2) my kids love the movie mary poppins, so I go in and help them and we sing the song spoon full of sugar or other songs they like while cleaning..also throw a little fun in it by forming a "assembly line" and tossing or handing to each other their toys to put away. might take a little longer this way but not only does their room get clean but moms and dads have fun too!!


make it fun and it doesnt seem like a chore to them

best of luck :)

Answer 4

Go in the room when they aren't home and put all of the stuff in the room into boxes and put them in the shed/garage. When the kid comes home and has a fit tell him/her you will give him/her one box at a time to go through and put stuff away/throw away/give to charity until all the boxes and put away properly. Each day you will take the stuff out that isn't in it's place and put it in a box or a bag and put it with the other boxes. It doesn't matter if it takes a day or a month to put the stuff away and you don't have to do this in a revengeful manner. This technique is a great way to solve clutter and disorganization problems and a good one to teach to your children. If the stuff in the boxes doesn't get put away in a month then the kid probably doesn't really need or want it.

Answer 5

I don't let my kids do anything until it's done. My daughter finally got her own room when she was about 8 or 9. When I asked her to clean her room it never really got done and she'd cry. One day a family member was over and went out of her way to sit with her and talked about what she was doing with things she thought she was putting away. Turns out she didn't know how to clean her room....where to put things and to make a pile of things she no longer needed. Five years later she now is soooo much better at cleaning....better not perfect...but when she knows the family member will be there she makes sure she shows her her clean room. She is learning how to get rid of things and put things in their place.

Answer 6

9 to 14, can not work
Money
For everyday they clean their room, 2 dollars
For everyday they do not, it will cost them 1 dollar, for the first day, 2 dollars for the second day, 3 dollars for the third day

There are 7 days in a week
if they clean their room, they made 14 dollars, if they did not clean their room, then they own you 27 dollars, which means not extras. If the family goes to the movie, they do not, and you will take phone, ipod, etc away for payment

So, if they clean their room, they will get 14 dollars, if they do not, they will owe you money, and for payment, you will take away something they love

Answer 7

Well, the best way is to teach them WAY before they get to that age. From the time my son was old enough to make a mess, I decided he was old enough to help clean it up. Now at 3, he knows if he spills something or takes out a toy, he better clean up before I have to ask him.
That said, it certainly isn't too late to teach your kids to clean up after themselves. You could try making a checklist for everything that must be done in their room. When they're done, they get a small priviledge - getting to go to a friend's house or watch a movie. If they don't do it, they don't leave their rooms until everything is done - and stick to it.

Answer 8

Did your child clean before, and just now stop? Or are you just trying to transfer cleaning to him/her - because you did it all before? There are different answers for different circumstances. If the child hasn't ever done it before, you need to make certain he knows what you mean by clean - really children (and adults) have different ideas what clean means. So start with specifics and show him literally what you mean by clean, and how often it must be done. Then utilize praise. Don't expect big change overnight, and be consistent in what he is required to do, and what happens when it is and isn't done.
If he did it before and just stopped, then again you need to be consistent. If he cleans, he gets X priviledge, if not, he doesn't. The hardest part of all of this is reasonable expectations and consistency.

Answer 9

you need to be as firm as possible with what you want them to do.

I agree with those that said take away their favorite thing(s). If it is their cell phone, tv, dvds, friends (ok you can't literally take them away). Don't have the punishment be over the top, but it also has to be firm.

after they have cleaned their room a couple of times reward them for their effort. I used to get twenty dollars a week for not helping around the house, and now my room is never clean.

If you want it clean all the time you need to let them know your expectation. if you want their bed made all the time let them know that....so they know what is expected of them

Answer 10

My parents get me to clean my room by taking rewards away. For example, my favorite sport is hockey. WE have season tickets to everygame. They say that if my room isn't clean and my chores aren't done, we arent going to the games that weekand. Thats how my room is ALWAYS squeeky clean. Best of luck!