How do you get your kids to clean up ?
By Ms Michelle
@lenapoo (678)
United States
October 25, 2007 8:10pm CST
I have three kids in my home two of my own and one that is not mine biologically. Well they are 1,2, and 8. In order for me to get the little ones to clean-up I sing the clean-up song and they go to work with no complaints at all. Now as for the older one she complains, rolls her eyes, stomps, kicks, and cries. She basically gives me the response that I would expect from the toddlers. I told her that if she cleans up her room, makes up her bed, takes a bath every day, does her homework and reads for 15-20 minutes every night without being told to do so every single day she will get an allowance of 15/per week. You would think the kid would comply yeah, right. She still won't clean up or do anything at all without being told so and then gets upset and has these temper tantrums when she is told to do something. What is a good idea or suggestion to get the ball rolling because money obviously is not an good enough initiative. An, being that she is only 8 she really doesn't need alot of money, but being that the holiday season is coming up I was actually going to raise it to 20/per week so that she could have her own christmas shopping money. Please help me here so that I can get this child to comply with the rules of the house when it comes to allowance and completing simple chores.
1 person likes this
5 responses
@grasshopping (62)
•
26 Oct 07
my kids clean up with me. everytime that they see me cleaning they will join and help. most of the times they are just playing than cleaning at all. but i teach along the way that they need to clean up and tell them to arrange their upon waking up.
@lenapoo (678)
• United States
27 May 08
That sounds like a good idea it may or may not work with her because she'll do it only to get her things back and then after that she will go right back to the same pattern she had before.
@summer218 (197)
• United States
26 Oct 07
This may sound drastic, but it works. I've taken all of my daughter's clothes that were strewn across the floor and put it in a garbage bag, including paper, wrappers, and empty gel bottles. I put it in the garage, tied and ready to be put out. The next day she couldn't find something she wanted to wear for school, she became hysterical. She couldn't wear the shirt she wanted because it wasn't clean. Needless to say, after this incident, her room's been pretty clean. She's 15, so she's old enough to understand the point. :)
@emarie (5442)
• United States
26 Oct 07
I have the same problem. For the older one, let her screw up her room. She'll soon learn that when she can't find anything that she needs to clean up. Just as long as it stays in her room and she doesn't leave trash and it doesn't smell in there it should be fine. The younger ones...I would use incentives and punishment.
Now every child is different and some respond better to things. I take things away if they don't clean up by a certain time. Like toys, privileges anything they hold dear. Thats what works for my boys.
@lenapoo (678)
• United States
27 Oct 07
I believe in treating them all the same way because I love and care for all of them and I have tried the don't care approach and she seems to like it, but I don't consider that to be okay because if the little ones can keep their room in order she should do the same thing no exceptions or excuses.
@surverymom (471)
• United States
26 Oct 07
Like you, I would expect that out of the younger kids. I have a 2 and a 4 year old. They clean as they go through the day. So, I really don't have a problem out of them. I have a question? Is the one who is not yours biologically the 8 year old? I was taking care of my sister's kid a few years ago, and she acted like your 8 year old is acting. She was 7-10 when I was haveing this problem. I think that is just a age kids go through maybe. You could try taking things away. I the 8 year old gets on a game or a computer, don't let them until they learn how to do things with out being told. My 4 year old thinks she is about 16 years old. She does not have to be told to do anything. Ocasionally, she acts up. But that is kinda rare. I taught her by taking things away at 1 year old. Now, she is an excellent child. Never back talks, uses yes sir and no ma'am to everyone. I also used the corner, because I do not spank. I started with the corner at 1 year old too. Of course it is hard to use the corner with an 8 year old. LOL. But yeah, I would try taking things away.
@lenapoo (678)
• United States
27 Oct 07
Yes the 8 year old is not my child biologically. I have tried everything except spankings and she seems to take it for granted, but the thing is she only acts that way when her dad is not around. When he's home she acts like she is supposed to.
@shadowing (308)
• Malaysia
26 Oct 07
Hi Lenapoo. Well, personally I don't have any child. However, I am doing most of the house works, including washing toilet, mopping, sweeping, blanket washing, clothes drying and blah blah blah without receiving a single cent from my parents. Haha.
Maybe I just don't want my mom to work for it and I can't stand my house is that dirty, so I just clean it. Maybe you may try to let your child know why we should keep our house clean?
@bindy1234 (39)
• Australia
26 Oct 07
I have four kids under 11 and a largeish house, what works for us is to have a saturday morning or afternoon clean up time. We have always done this so they don't really think much about it but they get or are allowed to do nothing until it is done. I also find that if I do small daily clean up and place all their stuff that they leave lying around in an individual basket and dump that in their room, my part of the house stays clean. Good luck.
