Cleaning during school vacations
By autismmom2
@autismmom2 (155)
United States
April 4, 2009 2:38pm CST
So your house is beyond destroyed, and now the kids that refuse to clean it, or help, are home ALL WEEK! I've been working with a behavioral therapist to address my son's compliance issues. In the meantime, I still need to get the house cleaned.
My son thankfully will not sit glued to the TV all day, but sometimes I wish he would. He gets very minimal time at school during the week (2.5 hours + short bus ride), so it's near impossible to get all errands AND cleaning done with my 15 hours of child-free time per week.
On the other hand, during the summer it seems to be easy peasy to get everything done. I only run into these issues when the schedules are messed up.
What are some of your ways to work around the kids, without fighting all day?
5 responses
@okkidokitokki (1736)
• United States
4 Apr 09
Send him outside to play. Make a schedual for him to follow during this time that includes chores. If he does not follow it then take a privalage away (or do what the counselor has suggested.)
Or for this week, only clean what has to be cleaned. He will only be this age for a short time, you bother should enjoy it together.
@autismmom2 (155)
• United States
4 Apr 09
I have a daily schedule for him, and give him a choice of chores (ie; pick up cars, or dirty clothes, but not nothing). The goal of the behavior therapist is to find a reward/consequence system that works for him. If I tell him to either clean up his cars or lose all of them for 2-3 days, he'll tell me to take them away because now he doesn't have to clean them. If I take away something, I DO stick to it, but it has never made a dent in his behavior. He will work for little things, but without an immediate reward, it's a no go. So if I hold a bag of skittles, and tell him to pick up a certain amount of toys, he'll do it, but we can't move away from immediate reinforcers which is not a good lifelong habit.
@nixxi76 (3191)
• Canada
5 Apr 09
I have a day I clean once a week. Well it's been that way since I got my fulltime job. Before that I did one chore a day.
Mondays I would clean up the kitchen, sweeping and washing the floor. Wiping down the cupboards. (I do my dishes everyday after supper).
Tuesday I will dust every surface in the house.
Wednesdays I will vacuum downstairs and clean the bathroom down here.
Thursdays I will vacuum the stairs and upstairs then clean the upstairs bathroom.
Friday is laundry day and I clean the laundry room.
I also find that doing one thing a day not only keeps me from feeling overwhelmed with cleaning but also keeps the freshness smells going.
Have a great day
@psychotaz206 (2086)
• United States
4 Apr 09
i have kinda the same problem i have been seeing a behavior therapist for my 10 year old son we been seeing one for 3 years but had no luck he still thinks he can do what he wants , my 6 and 3 year old son dont like to clean either so all 3 of there rooms are a mess my 11 month old daughter really cant make a mess but i have to try to sneak to clean because they dont like to stay put exept the baby but the boys dont want to do anything , i have a lot of trouble getting things done because as soon as i start they go and mess things up again so when it comes to the livingroom and kitchen i try to wait until they are in bed to clean it that ay its clean for at least a couple of hours , so good luck , i feel for you
@momtrying2makeit (3270)
• United States
4 Apr 09
My kids are home for the next two weeks from spring vacation and I am happy they are here, however I understand why you might be getting upset about the cleaning thing. I have been trying to get on my kids butts about cleaning their rooms and it seems they would rather overlook what I ask and do whatever they want. They need to learn how to clean up after themselfs and it is my job to do this. I would just keep working and make sure your child and or children undersatnd that you cannot do this alone and they need to take ownership for their messes and rooms at least. Take care and happym mylotting. 
@catabianca (142)
• Tunisia
5 Apr 09
During vacations, all the family is helping for a big cleaning of the house, my girls use to help their mother! the boys too!
