Can’t get my kids to clean up after themselves

solo

Fri, Aug 28 2020, 12:20 pm

They’re 9,7,6, and 4. I hate charts. I am constantly overwhelmed with the messes. They don’t throw out a wrapper clear their place pick up a toy. They use a napkin and leave it on the counter. They eat a snack the wrappers on the table. They take out a toy and the pieces are all over the house.
I’m a mostly tidy person. There is a place for everything and I hate clutter or messes. I don’t have a cleaning lady so it’s especially stressful when I enter a room and see that no one even considered making an effort to clean up after themselves.
Pls help!

NotInNJMommy

Fri, Aug 28 2020, 12:28 pm

Kids have to be trained, and, at the same time, they are kids. They will need to be reminded over and over. You will not get out of enforcing, teaching, etc. anytime soon because they are kids. It can help to realize this. (I speak from experience.) That said, monitoring and immediately stopping the child and having them come back and clean up this or that, politely, calmly, but firmly will be needed. If you want to try to limit the spaces the messes make up, it would take setting expectations and holding them accountable ie. food stays in kitchen/dining room. Toys stay in this or that room.

Depending on their ages, having a chore chart where each child gets a job that day or week to clean up this or that room (pick up toys, garbage, etc. something age appropriate) can help kids see that we're all in this together...so let's all be part of cleaning up, and maybe let's all be more mindful of where we spread our messes.

Also, some kids are more predisposed than others to want to organize/clean up naturally.

mha3484

Fri, Aug 28 2020, 12:36 pm

Mine are almost 10, 6,4 and a baby. For different areas of the house, I have done different things.

For cleaning up after they eat, I make sure the garbage can is accessible and then I remind them to clear their plates and if they go away from the table I tell them to come back. Its annoying but it slowly makes an impression.

For bedrooms, the Sunday after rosh chodesh is clean your room day. There is no drama, no arguing its just the schedule and we do it like taking a shower and getting a haircut. My oldest especially has become a lot more careful to keep his room clean during the in between times because he knows how hard he worked to clean it the last time.

For the living room toys and other accumulated items. I set a timer on Sundays, we have family clean up time every single person helps and then we get ice cream or a cheap toy after.

behappy2

Fri, Aug 28 2020, 1:56 pm

mha3484 wrote:

I love these ideas!