Help

@alilswt (388)
United States
May 21, 2007 1:15pm CST
how do i get my kids to clean there rooms? my kids are 6 and 4 and never want to clean there rooms i end up having to clean it does anyone have any ideas?
5 responses
• United States
21 May 07
Have you tried using a reward chart? For every time they clean their room, they will get a star and after 10 stars, they will get a treat. Or something along those lines.
@alilswt (388)
• United States
21 May 07
i tried something like that for just being good during the day but i gave up it did not work
• United States
21 May 07
"just being good during the day" sounds so vague. I think children need something more concrete to grasp. Try the reward chart again for SPECIFIC tasks they can do around the house like cleaning up their room or helping you set the table for a meal, etc. If that doesn't work, maybe you have to step it up a notch! LOL! First, give them a warning. Tell them the next time they don't clean up their rooms, they will lose all their toys and if they still don't do it, take all their toys and lock it away. To get them back, they have to "work" for it by helping you do chores around the house! LOL!!!
@alilswt (388)
• United States
22 May 07
maybe i will try the chart again but taking toys away and locking them up does not work they do not care about getting them back they find something else to play with
@rapolu_cs (1184)
• India
22 May 07
I think you should make a habbit of giving something they love most saying they will get that on cleaning the room and one more give them surprise gifts and kepp challenging them in between them and start praising them and their work, before the other for what they do in cleaning their room and i think this may work and i wish you all the best and yoir problem may clear in few days.
@alilswt (388)
• United States
22 May 07
that works sometimes but i will keep trying my kids are close and tend to stick together they share everything and would rather be in trouble together that anything i love that they are so close but it does make things hard sometimes i wonder if they should have been twins lol
@beaniegdi (1964)
21 May 07
Make it really easy for them with lots of toy boxes and storage space. Make it fun, always help them and maybe put on some music and never make it seem like a chore. Do it everyday and then it can't get too wrecked and is faster for them and always reward them afterwards with something they like, maybe a drink and biscuit. The more enjoyable you can make this the more likely they are to do it.
@alilswt (388)
• United States
22 May 07
i made it as easy as possible and explained how it is so easy things are i even took pics on my digital camera of how all the things have there own place so it would be easy to see where things go and it is visual and there is usually music on but i am still having trouble my kids just team up all the time so it makes it harder i always end up cleaning it and i would like to find a way for them to do it not me
@lillake (1630)
• United States
21 May 07
Make a game out of it is one great way. One of my friends found an old small trophy at a garage sale, decorated it with sticker sna plastic jewels then have the kids race to clean their rooms. Whoever wins gets the trophy for the next day. They love it.
@alilswt (388)
• United States
22 May 07
my kids would fight over it and it would end up causing more trouble
• United States
21 May 07
I tell them that if they don't clean their room and I end up doing it, I will start getting rid of stuff. They don't like that and usually start on it right away. Another thing I tried (my kids are also 6 & 4) was to make a game out of it. Put their favorite song on and tell them you want a certain area clean by the time the song is over (for my 6 year old son, an example would be his desk for my daughter it might be to get all her books back on her book shelf.) You don't have to reward them with something, just give them compliments like "I knew you could do it!" Or "I'm so proud of you". My kids really thrive on positive feed back. Yelling at them to get it done just frustrates everyone. If the room is REALLY bad, I will help to get them started or at least give them direction on where to start. Good luck!
@alilswt (388)
• United States
22 May 07
they do not care about me getting rid of stuff because they know eventually they will get more stuff i always compliment them for doing good but they team up together and would rather play together than anything but the idea of cleaning before the song is over is new to me they love music and have music in there rooms i will try that and see if it works for at least a little while