Messy Room Madness
It may come as a surprise , but the biggest battle between parents and children isn ’ t about talking back or misbehaving , it ’ s about messy rooms . Parents feel that they need to impose some order and kids whine , dawdle , or downright go on strike . At the end of the day neither side gains much ground and everyone is left in a bad mood . Fortunately , there are ways to get your kids to clean their rooms without all of the theatrics .
Before you embark on this cleaning venture , however , it is important to keep your expectations
dirty room is a point of honor .
Simply letting go of the messy room battle can actually work in your favor . Your kids will quickly discover that they lose track of their valuables underneath all of those piles of toys and dirty clothes . As they frantically search for that favorite video game or the homework that ’ s due today , they learn that keeping things neat makes their lives easier . Personal experiences are often the best teachers . Not only do they learn a valuable lesson about the consequences of messiness , but they do so without you having to do anything .
Parents who have a really hard time letting the messy room issue go can use the When-Then routine . “ When I can see your entire floor , then you can watch TV , or go outside and play .” Creating a When-Then routine minimizes the amount of time spent fussing or fighting . A natural incentive means that your kids will be eager to get the cleaning out of the way so that they can move on to more enjoyable activities .
Another method is to make a chart that lists all of the things your child needs to do . When they complete everything on the chart , they receive a small reward . This is especially helpful for motivating young children . Start out by making a checklist detailing tasks that are appropriate for your child ’ s age , with pictures that they can refer to . It helps if everything has a home , so work together with your child on labeling boxes and bins and deciding what goes where . Making the chart interactive , such as with a connect-thedots scheme or pasting on fun stickers for each completed task , will keep your child interested in it . It also helps to use frequent , simple rewards to keep their motivations high . For toddlers , try an end of the hour award ; for preschoolers , end of the day ; for school age kids , use end of the week rewards . A month is an eternity for any child , so very low . A child ’ s it ’ s best to keep the goal in sight . room is usually Fri , the 16th- arrive Similar to the chart method , you can also try a Ticket only place where Sat , Mom they , Steph System and K . hang Start out your for child bday out with a few “ free ” tickets . For
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what we say , so set a good example for them . Start out doing the chores together to show them how things are done . While you are cleaning , put on your child ’ s favorite music so that they see that doing chores doesn ’ t have to be tedious . This could also be a great time to strike up a conversation with your child , so that while you ’ re working together , you ’ re also bonding . Another way to make cleaning time fun is to read a good story while they work . Their minds will be focused on the plot rather than on how boring they might think chores are . Regardless of what you do to boost your child ’ s interest , being there with them will show your support and teach them that cleaning can be a rewarding experience .
Whether they learn it on their own or need a little help from you , teaching kids how to make and keep order will prepare them for the challenges of adulthood . When you show your children how to keep their things safe and take the time to organize what they value , you are making the abstract concept of “ responsibility ” into a concrete set of actions . Eventually , they ’ ll come to see that taking loving care of the things they have is a way of giving love back to the ones who provide for them .
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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN MARCH / APRIL 2016 gmhtoday . com