Getting a child to clean and organise their room is a battle that is waged in millions of households across the world every Saturday morning. Every mom knows how difficult it is to make a kid gather all those legos or school supplies and keep them in check. When kids get reminded of their duties, they whine, dawdle, or go on strike. So most of the time parents get disappointed and do the cleaning themselves because, you know, it’s easier this way. But this is not right. Teaching kids how to keep their stuff in order is our most important job as parents and it has a big impact on their future. This puts important deposits in their bank of skills for being a responsible grownup. Read this article for more information and ideas that will help for getting your kids to clean their room and help out around the house more.
1. Set a good example
Kids are their parents’ reflection. They observe us from the day they are born, they listen to everything we say and take it as the complete truth about the world and everything in it. Besides, they are more sensitive to what you do as a parent than what you say. If they notice that you have a negative attitude towards something, they are likely to copy that behaviour and avoid housework themselves. And this behaviour can also appear during other tasks, like going to school, reading and doing homework, etc. So you’ll need to be a good example. Keep your things in order and have a positive attitude toward the daily tasks of housekeeping and your work overall. Your kids will feel way more comfortable with chores and you will win half of the battle. Also, never use cleaning as a punishment, because this will build negative associations in their heads and you will have problems with it in the future.
2. Make your kids feel proud of their space
According to specialists, kids who feel their space is their own, whenever it is just a corner or a whole room, are prone to keep it organised and nice looking. Pushing your taste in interiors on your child is not recommended, because this blocks their creativity and makes it dependent on other people’s opinions. Find ways to give your kid some kind of control over the vision of their space. It doesn’t have to be something huge and expensive, kids don’t think it that way, small and personal changes are more than enough. You could let them choose the colour of the walls during a remodel, or you could let them rearrange the furniture, choose their next new sheets, place a funny poster on the wall and other small details. Hang their picture on the wall to make the space personal and encourage them to feel the pride of their work.
3. Define what is a clean room clearly
Even if your kids want to help out with the cleaning more, they probably have no idea where to start and how to plan the process. It’s your responsibility to provide them with some pointers and help them track their process somehow. A great way to accomplish that is to make a checklist that kids can refer to as well as organize their tasks with pictures and words.
- Make your bed
- Hang up your clothes
- Put the laundry in a hamper
- Put toys and equipment away
- Vacuum your floor
- You are done
Many parents pin such checklists in their kid’s room, so they can look at it, check off the tasks which are done and track their progress. You can even arrange for a small prize at the end of the list, but not money, aim for experiences and funny family moments, like an outing or a fun game night.
4. Everything must be in its place
There is a very popular phrase going around: “A place for everything and everything in its place”. Kids should know that everything should have a home and they are supposed to make sure everything finds their home by the end of the day. So, give your kids boxes and bins and let them do the arranging themselves. If they need help, you could help them make their decision on what goes where. For smaller items, you can provide mesh bags, so they can be kept together.
5. Don’t let them hoard things
In cases when kids have enough toys, clothes and everything else they need, you should try to reduce the number of items. Most kids never use half of their stuff anyways, because they constantly receive gifts from family and friends, so keeping everything is not practical. It only creates clutter, which leads to dust accumulation and even some pests may find your house attractive. To avoid such extremities, you can make a rule that when something goes in the room, something else should come out. If your kid gets a new blouse, the old one could go to the local Goodwill or Red Cross station.Â
This may seem strange to you, but this keeps your kids from being encumbered by possessions, and also teaches them to feel good about donating things. If this rule is not easily accepted in your family, then occasionally have sorting days when the worn out and broken things should be given away or thrown out. Of course, there are exceptions, but don’t let all the stuff be categorized as an exception.
6. Do chores together
Just telling them what to do is not enough. Kids don’t arrive to this world with all the knowledge stored in their heads. They learn from experience, they make mistakes, and you need to encourage and teach them while they do it. Initially, it’s better to do things together. Make them observe you while you perform a task and let them follow you. After some time you will notice that they get better at it and your assistance won’t be needed as much. Yet, keep your expectations reasonable and don’t get tired of showing them new things. As time goes by, they will master all the skills you show them and will no longer need step-by-step encouragement.Â
You can also make up some chores into a fun game to encourage them. For instance, you can make folding laundry into a race, sweeping the floor into a rock concert, and a lot more.
7. Set reasonable standards for health and safety
With the new Coronavirus spreading all over the world, cleaning up safety hazards or health hazards are just not negotiable. Your kids need to know how serious it is to keep their hands clean and disinfected, how to wipe commonly used surfaces and how to protect themselves in public.
They should also learn to throw the garbage, to put the dirty dishes in the sink, and clean any broken glass safely, for instance. There are many dangers lurking while we perform domestic chores, so you need to warn your kids about them and help them avoid getting hurt.
Establishing rules provides some stability and predictability in life. These skills will help them stand in good stead during the difficult adult life challenges.
Author bio: Jane Wilson is a mum, a blogger and a marketing executive from Melbourne. She represents the local branch of Fantastic Cleaners, a licensed cleaning company, which provides a wide range of services. She also runs a small blog called Modern Housewives, where she shares all kinds of home improvement and parenting tips.