Teaching a child to keep their room clean can be a challenge, but this is working great, so I had to share it with you! I love to have a clean house and I love to know where everything is, so I want my kid’s rooms to be organized, too. Otherwise, they are complaining of being “bored,” but it’s really because they are overwhelmed. An organized room solves that.
Do you ever feel like your kid’s bedroom is always a mess? I admit that my biggest “time-drainer” is picking up our kid’s clothes. As my Mom has put it, they just “walk out of them”. Its so true!
Our kids have this terrible habit of taking their clothes off & just leaving them wherever they were standing. I had to come up with something to teach our kids to pick up their clothes and here is what is working for us. (Leave a comment of what works for you!)
Why are their clothes always on the floor, you ask?
They dress up like superheros… a lot!
They dress up in their swimsuits & pretend to go surfing (or they just wear their swimsuits because they like to wear them!)…
They dress up in their Dad’s old football jerseys…
They dress up in each others clothes & play “family”…
They dress up in their pajamas and play “camping out”…
Yes, our kids are constantly changing & changing again. (Please tell me I’m not the only mom dealing with this!)
I had to make a new rule because they were “forgetting” where they left their clothes and getting out new ones. I was washing up to four outfits a day sometimes (per child!) To help with keeping kids bedroom clean, we have implemented a new rule & consequence because I DID NOT want to nag them about it constantly…
Here is the rule:
For each article of clothing that I have to pick up off of the ground, they go to bed five minutes earlier.
Trust me, this is enough incentive for the kids to pick up their clothing. They really don’t like going to bed before 7:00 (their bedtime). (see my post on teaching your kids to sleep in later here)
Here is how I taught them to clean their rooms:
Sunday- told them about the new rule and explained it IN DETAIL! “Every article of clothing that you leave on the floor gets you five minutes of earlier bedtime. A sock? 5 minutes. Two socks? Ten minutes.” I went through a lot of examples and they gave me some, too.
I told them that if they were just changing into a costume/dress-up outfit, they could just put their clothes on their bed or dresser for later. They needed to do this because when they leave them in a ball on the floor, they end up getting out a new one ten minutes later. I told them that they would get a day to practice it before it started. So they had all day Sunday to work on this before the consequence would start on Monday.
Monday- they both got ten minutes for leaving clothes out & I stuck to it, even though they both kept asking for “Just one more chance.”
TIP:
(Even if you don’t have a set bedtime, you can just say “Its time for bed. You were going to get to stay up for ten more minutes, but you have to go to sleep ten minutes early tonight for leaving your pajamas (or whatever) on the floor today.” Our kids know that 7:00 is bedtime (well, the 7 hour, but the minutes vary), so when they saw the clock still saying 6, they were upset. (even if it said 6:59, that is early to them!) Reminder: our kids get up at 7:00, so an early bedtime is important. See my post here on: My kids get up too early- How to keep your kids in bed later).
Tuesday- no clothes on the floor
Wednesday- Pajamas WERE on the floor when I walked by the room to see how they were doing getting ready for school and by the time that they were dressed & ready for school… guess what? Pajamas were put away. Woo-hoo!!
This consequence will not last forever– probably about one month, but it is in place right now as a teaching-rule. (As with many of our rules & consequences. We make them to teach our children and after they have made it a habit, we can get rid of the consequence & just remind them, when needed.)
Update: This is an easy system, too.
If you want to start chores with your kids, but not have to deal with a chore chart, try these. We have them & they are easy and they are “normal” chores, like sweep the floors, dust, clean up the living room, etc… It makes it easy to say “Ok everyone – go grab 2 chore sticks and then you are done and you can go play.”
You can find them on Amazon. Here’s the affiliate link: https://amzn.to/2qcNEei
Or I encourage you to join our declutter course.
I bet you will find this post helpful, as well:
And the reason that our kids go to bed at 7:00:
Natasha says
This is such a great post, I so need to give this a try. pinning it!!
Natasha @ Serenity You
Your Modern Family says
It works great!! Good luck~!
JQ says
Love this idea!! I will try this with my 8 children-ages 3-13!! Im sure it requires a lot of consistency to stay on top of it!
Mrs Raza says
Hi,
what if child weans or cry if i cut sleeping time by 10 mins? how to handle stubbornness?
Cher says
That was my favorite Bernstein Bears book!
Nice to ‘meet’ you!
Stopping by to say hi from the Ultimate Blog Party!
http://momandmore.com/2013/04/party-with-me-at-the-ultimate-blog-party-2013-ubp13.html
Your Modern Family says
🙂 I liked it, too!
Crystal & Co says
My readers loved this post. You had one of the most clicked links in last weeks Mommy Solution Linky Party! See your feature here: http://www.crystalandcomp.com/2013/04/top-five-mom-ideas-41413/
Your Modern Family says
Great!!
Solida says
wow
Tauna says
:-O It’s official. I love you. I am making this HAPPEN in my home ASAP! 😀 Thanks!
Your Modern Family says
Oh my gosh- I am laughing out loud! 🙂 I hope it works as well for you as it did for me!
-Becky
Mackenzie says
Great tip! I am pinning this to keep in mind as our boys get older! Thank you! 🙂 We can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to this week on Saturday Show & Tell! Have a great weekend!
Mackenzie 🙂
Your Modern Family says
Thanks!
Anita L says
It sounds like your idea has really worked wonders! When my son was young, our biggest problem was toys being left all over his room. I told him that if he did not clean them up, he would find them disappear. I started bagging them and storing them in the garage, out of his sight. He didn’t like losing toys, so he began to start putting things away!
Your Modern Family says
My friend does that too and it works for her. Good idea
Elizabeth says
Love this! What would you suggest for a 3 and 2 year old that do not like to listen/help? I’ve tried making games out of it and sending them to sit until they were ready to help, but still nothing.
Your Modern Family says
I give our 3 year old a bag (a small grocery bag) & tell him to fill it up for a popsicle. So when he brings me a full bag- he gets his treat. 🙂
Lacy says
Oh my goodness the clothes!! I feel your pain and I will definitely be trying this rule in our home.
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
haha- I know!! That’s exactly it- the clothes. They just walk right out of them.
OneMommy says
Definitely got to try this with my daughter! She goes through clothes like water!
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
Same here. I figured they go through 3 sets a day: PJ’s, school clothes, sports practice outfits… and they all end up on the floor!
Patricia Ackerman says
so, its it at the eggs if day ,all day long or after you ask them to pick it up. sure about when too apply it. or like before school, aftet school? please help with any input, thx
Alison Wood says
Brilliant! I use a point system, but I love this idea too!
Alison says
Kudos if this works in your family. Into wouldn’t work for us. I don’t put my kids to bed early for any reason unless they can’t stay awake. I’d much rather have my kids stay on a night time schedule that matches mine as well. Clothes and toys can get totally crazy in our house of three kids, but I pick my battles. My room isn’t spotless either, neither is our kitchen counter (mail, school papers, to-do lists). If it works for you then stick to it.
B. Gustafson says
I’m going to reverse this for my teenager…for each item I will wake uou up 5 minutes early!
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
haha! Love it!
Carol says
This is great! I am looking for something for my 19 year-old daughter. I like the reverse of waking up earlier!
Amanda says
I have 4 children, 3 of which are old enough to pick up after themselves… My method (which still isn’t getting their rooms cleaned up everyday) is having them put their dirty clothes in the dirty clothes basket (which is in my room by the door, and right by the washer and dryer)… They are expected to put all dirty laundry in the basket, when it is full I was clothes. If they have a pile of clothes on their floor and nothing to wear to school but those “dress clothes” in the closet that’s what thy wear to school the next day.. (They get their clothes outfit school the night before so I can let them sleep a little later in the morning).. It works well for a week or two then I have to start reminding them again.
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
Thats a good system! 🙂
JDaniel4's Mom says
This is a great idea! We will try it at my house.
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
It works like a charm here! 🙂
T STella says
Do you have an idea how to modify this for a grown man? LOL and please don’t say withhold love making. We have a 16 month old, love making doesn’t happen!
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
hahaha!!
melissa fox says
My rule is that “if the clothes are not in the hamper I will not wash them”, husbands included. And I do not have a set day I always do laundry (there are 2 days that I try to, but sometimes things come up).
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
Ahh.. I like that. 🙂
HJ says
I slipped on his underwear and bashed my head on the tub exactly once. The next day he had a hamper in the bathroom and started using it. Not that I’d really recommend bodily injury as a lifestyle choice but, I’m an opportunistic kind of person. Never had an issue with clothes in the bathroom again, not even 2 years later when we stopped having a hamper there.
In the bedroom it was less of an issue when we started dating because he had a tiny bedroom and one tiny hamper, but when we moved into a bigger bedroom together he couldn’t just toss ~3-5 ft and reach the hamper anymore. Within a couple months it became clear that my disabilities were progressing and I was no longer able to do the laundry. It wasn’t planned by any means, but I did notice that him having to do the laundry made it a LOT easier for him to get the laundry into the hamper-sorter where all he had to do was grab a load and wash it instead of constantly sorting, resorting, gathering from the entire house, sorting again, dying his white work shirt blue, blah blah blah…
And really that’s become our general policy: You’re the one who is making this chore impossible, so you get to be the one to do the chore. I leave my makeup all over the counter for days and it’s time to clean the bathroom? Look who gets to clean the bathroom this week. Oh, it kills my back and lays me up on the couch for three days after I clean the bathroom? Guess I should have picked up my makeup. He leaves a massive ton of crap on the floor so vacuuming is a pain? Guess who gets to vacuum?! You know what happens when he doesn’t vacuum? My cat allergies go haywire, I trip on something with my bad balance and have to recover for a week, making his life ten times harder, and you know it’s amazing that happens twice and suddenly vacuuming three times a week isn’t such a big deal anymore. We had to cancel a weekender because 15 minutes before we walked out the door, he dumped water all over the bathroom floor, didn’t wipe it up, I didn’t see it, I slipped and hyperextended my driving knee. Instead of drinking with friends and seeing his parents, he got to help me walk to the bathroom for a week and start physical therapy all over again. Guess who doesn’t leave water on the bathroom floor anymore?
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
🙂 lol- yes, minus the bodily injury- you’ve got a great plan!
Amanda Long says
I can’t believe I didn’t see this post till now. Thank you Facebook ! : ) I LOVE IT. Never saw it coming, you are amazing Becky. I’m defiantly going to start this at our house, and I’m with Stella, the big men need something for keeping clothes off the floor too !!
Amanda @uniquelyunfolded.com
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
haha!! 🙂 too funny!
Linda Tolsen says
This sounds as a very clever rule and I think that it could be used for everything. Thank you a lot for sharing your experience!
kenningtoncarpetcleaners says
The kids are so amazingly clever! I love when my three-year-old wears my heels and she pretends to be a teacher of her teddy bears. The rule which you have invented for your kids sounds to be really useful. Thanks a lot for sharing this idea!
Crystal@serving joyfully says
My boys, too, love to dress up and change multiple times a day. But we’ve never had problems with clothes. We keep a basket in their room and they put their clothes in that. Easy peasy for everybody 🙂
Glad you found a system that works for you.
Pamela Silver says
So helpful article! I have two daughters and I am trying to teach them how to clean their rooms. I make something like a checklist for them. Thank you for the interesting and useful article!
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
I’m glad that you liked it!
Brandi says
What do you do for other things left on the floor in their rooms?
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
They are pretty good about cleaning up their toys, so I don’t really have to worry about that. Its just the clothes. If our 4 year old doesn’t clean up toys, I”ll say “I’m walking around now with a bag to get all of the toys left on the floor” and then they run around like crazy to clean up b/c if it goes into the bag, it doesn’t come back out (it gets donated or thrown away).
Nancy Burroughs says
How to get your kids to pick up their clothes – We have 3 teenage girls and I am going to adjust this idea to say that for every ITEM Mom picks up they put their electronics (including phones) in lock down for 5 minutes. That should be highly motivational. THANKS for the idea!
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
Smart. 🙂
Jennifer says
This is such a great idea, I’m going to try it this weekend! How long do you give them to clean them up? Before bed? Thank you for sharing.
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
Depends on their age. I just tell them “I’m about to head upstair to your room, so if there is anything on the ground, I will see it”. I do it mostly for their clothes. They keep their toys & things picked up… its the clothes that was driving me crazy. 🙂
Jennifer Colas says
Love, love, love this idea. We have an issue with clothing never making its way into the hamper. I am definitely using this at our house. We are finally at an age with the boys that consequences are affecting then and working, so this suggestion is great. Thanks!
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
🙂 Yep- it is the clothing here, too!
e.burben says
I have big problem with my toddlers! They hate cleaning and their room is a completely mess! I’ll try your advices!
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
good luck!
Jennifer DeFrates/Heaven Not Harvard says
I’ve been teaching my daughter to clean her room. She needs a time limit and direct consequences without “one more chance.” If we don’t do this, she wanders into her room, starts playing and makes an even larger mess. To this end, we’ve instituted a “Toy Time Out.” Any toys that I pick up before she does, go into toy time out. They stay in time out for a couple of days, and then she gets them back. Most of the time, she picks up her room when toy time out is on the line, but if she slips back into her playing ways, a few toys sit in my closet for a few days. She learns urgency, consequences, and we don’t have to get angry. This is the rule, period.
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
Great idea.
Lido says
My twins are 8. Which means they are at an age where they pour their own drinks, make their own sandwiches, and heat up food in the microwave. It’s a blessing, and a curse. On the one hand they are being self-sufficient, but on the other hand they create a mess that resembles about 5 people being in the kitchen at one time preparing a 3-course meal – and that’s just to make a sandwich.Haizz
Chrissy says
I just tried this yesterday with My 7year old daughter and 9year old son and it was amazing!! I told the kids to go clean their rooms and got the usual reticence – the crying and whimpering from my daughter because “there is too much stuff and I don’t know where to put it” and I got about 5 minutes out of my son trying to look busy before he just started playing with the stuff. We’ve been down this road before (SOOOOOO many times!) And I had chores of my own to do. I offered this to my children: you help me with one of my chores and I’ll help you clean your room. Voila!! My daughter VOLUNTARILY swept and mopped the house (we have hard wood floors in all the main areas of the house, so this is no small feat) while I did a thorough scrub of the kitchen. Then we moved on to clean her room which only took about 20 minutes with the two of us working together. My son caught wind of this and decided he wanted a shot too. He cleaned the bathroom by himself – sink, counters, inside and outside of the toilet, tub/shower and sweeping/mopping the floor. I did the mirror since he’s not tall enough. Then we cleaned his room which took about 25 minutes. Overall a very productive day and the kids felt “grown-up” and we’re very proud of their work. Not to mention our house looks great!!
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
awesome bartering!! 🙂 I love that!
Iris Davenport says
My son is at the age of four and I started him to teach him how to keep his room neat and tidy. I think that if they start feeling responsible for their room then your children will definitely start to tidy it on their own.
mel says
Wish I had known about this great idea earlier! Thk u…I will pass this others….
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
Thanks. 🙂
Hennah Sutherland says
I can not beleave it work but I am going to try it. My daugthers also claim that there children never clean there room and it is taking them allday everday cleaning the childs room.
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
haha! good luck!
Michelle says
You are not the only one! My kids play dress up all the time, but mostly in the winter. We have a ton of heavy costumes they can’t wear in the summer. Great rule idea. I am going to implement it soon!
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
Good luck! 🙂
Jeniece says
I can’t wait to try this rule! I think I’ll implement it with everything they leave around the house. Peanut butter smeared on the counter after making her lunch, school clothes left in the floor after changing for practice, and even when they don’t flush the toilet! If they can’t clean up after themselves, they’ll go to bed early so they won’t have opportunity to leave stuff out. Great idea!
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
Good luck! It works here. 🙂
Kelly says
My son would never bring down his laundry, even though I told him “I’m doing laundry, bring me your clothes if you want them washed”, yet on a school morning he’d be in a panic because he couldn’t find any clean clothes. I numbered the buttons on my washer in the order he needed to push them and bought tide pods. Now he does his own laundry and can’t get mad at me when he runs out of clothes. It’s been working great!
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
Love that, Kelly!
Traci says
Now I just have to get him to stop putting those clothes in the dirty hamper! They’ll be worn out from washing more than playing soon. Lol I suppose the same rule would work…
Donna says
I just stumbled onto your site while looking for something else. I raised eight children. The mess almost drove me out of my mind! Now they are mostly grown, and I have three grandchildren, with more planned, according to the parents. I shared the link to this page on my facebook page. I hope it gets you lots more visitors. Thanks for your work on this site!
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
🙂 Thanks, Donna!
Alika says
Great idea! What we did with our 2 year old when she started refusing to pick up her toys was, “If I pick it up – I put it up.” I would put the toy up on a shelf or counter where she could see it, but not reach it to play with. Enough times of, “I want my ___ toy!” – Sorry honey, mommy put it up, because you left it in the middle of the kitchen floor. Please remember to put away your toys when done with them and they won’t get lost. She’d “earn” her toy back by helping me with extra activities (holding the dust pan, cooking, basically by calming down and being mommy’s helper again. Then I would thank her for her help and tell her she had earned her toy back by working so hard. Now, she does a pretty good job of putting away. I usually only have to ask once if she forgets and when I turn around again…the magnets are no longer scattered across the floor! (She’s 3 now.)
I completely agree, you can’t do this stuff for them, or you’ll be doing it for them FOREVER!
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
Yep!! I love your idea, too.
Lori says
I just started this last week with 2 teenagers! It works! They DO NOT want to go to bed early! I love it! Thank you
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
😉 good!
Mary says
Why Temporary? Make it permanant until they are older then change to the goody bag. Every item of clothing left down gets put in the goody bag and donated. Works wonders with teens. Rules and good habits are for life, not just for awjile.
Mandy Thomas says
Nagging can have the opposite effect on kids. It’s important to adopt a strategy that will empower them toclean without you having to remind them! The idea is to find a system that goes along with their personalities.
keotitmakara says
My sons never clean his bedroom.I always help them clean their room.But today I find best website like your site let they read it.So now they always their room everyday thanks you for sharing your experience.
Lmoore says
This sounds like a good idea. Honestly my girls would be going to bed before dinner at the pace they are going. Our rule is if it’s not in the hamper it doesn’t get washed. They both have outfits that they love and wear as soon as they are clean. Having to wait for those because they weren’t in the hamper had helped them keep up with it.
jacqsprat says
I had problems with “go to bed”…My boys HAVE to be showered,teeth brushed, pj’s on and in bed reading by 8pm. Every minute thereafter is added to their EBT the following night.
Kim says
Iha e older girls, so my rule is… If it isn’t in the hamper it doesn’t get washed (same goes for my husband)!! They all put their clothes in the hamper now?
Kayla says
When I was a kid, probably in late elementary and through high school, my brothers and I would come into the house, walk right by the coat closet and hang our jackets/coats on the back of the kitchen chairs. My dad would pick them up and toss them out the back door onto the lawn, rain or shine, sleet or snow, it didn’t matter. We would be looking all over for our jackets and it would dawn on us to look out the back door and sure enough there it was! It didn’t take us very long to stop hanging out coats on the kitchen chairs! My father was always one of few words! 🙂
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
LOL!!!
Yoch Mara says
Yes I will teach my son when I had read this website already. Thank you Mrs. Becky
Catherine says
Yikes, but what if they are 18!!??
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
LOL!
Samah says
What I do is confiscate their clothes if they leave them thrown around, it works great. I threaten to start doing it again if they slip back into leaving their rooms a mess littered with clothes.
Daphneshih says
Smart tips. Almost everybody is busy with their decorations they sometimes forget these.
Solida says
Great tips for lovely kids. I really appreciated and Thanks for your good contents that provide a lot of tips for all family.
stacy says
I have a 12 year old daughter, who has never liked to clean her room, but now she will not. I have tried everything except whooping her. I’m at the point where today I told her I will take everything away. She said ok, she really acts as if she could care less. What do I do. Please help I feel like I have failed parenting.
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
Oh wow- that’s hard. So I talk to our 10 year old and explain that he is taking time away from us spending time together when I have to clean up his mess. He seems to really understand that & works to help. (and it is the truth)
crystall says
LOVE THIS IDEA!! starting tonight…of course with practice day first, like you said! 😉 last night they would have gone to bed an hour early (i.e., 6:30) if this was in play!!! Thank you for such a clever idea! and another one…I instituted “if you make your bed in the morning, you get 2 books read at night before bedtime”. This has worked like a charm too, b/c my kids love books before bedtime!
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
🙂
David says
Nice tips.
Rose Marry says
I agree with Becky , I really LOVE this IDEA! and great tips.we are hopefully we get better idea from you 🙂
In our every house there are small
kinds/ children’s. and most beloved of parents.We never do not
want that,Our children became sick.So we should always be on
guard.So, as well as our clothes, our homes and keep clean.Cleaned
part of Faith
Jen Hoo says
Nice article. I’m really interesting. Thank for sharing!!!
Daniel says
Great article and best tip , it’s very useful and helpful , I’ll try it up with my kids ,
really appreciate thanks for your sharing !!!!!!
Monerath says
I need to to thank you for your time due to this fantastic read!! I definitely enjoyed every bit of it and I have you bookmarked to see new information on your blog.
Eddie says
Great guide on child leaning to clean a room
Sara Joes says
Nice blog ….really love that …thank for sharing!!.
Jennifer Michael says
Extremely helpful article
Chanathip S. says
Thanks for this worth sharing article.
I gonna do it for my kids.
Awesome tip.
Cyn says
This is good in theory. Mine would have just stocked it up on a dresser, bed, or chair. Then the suggestion about washing clothes unless in the hamper…..mine would throw everything in the hamper. Try on something and change your mind? Why hang it back up. Throw it on a chair, and when they clean their room…everything goes in the hamper…clean or not.
Brandie says
Not sure how old your kids are, but mine tried that. If they put clean clothes in the hamper, I treated as if they simply never put it away. The consequence was the same. The goal isn’t to clear the floor, but to have everything in its place.
Alwiya says
Hi ,when i read yr post it was like like you were talking about my son and his cousins as me and my sister are neighbours, they always play dress up , u can emagine sometime like they travel or like community helper (all u know) 😀 He is 6 i have to gv it a try God help me
Monory says
I would like to see more posts like this. I definitely enjoyed every bit of it and I have you bookmarked to see new information on your blog.
yara says
I started bagging them and storing them in the garage, out of his sight. He didn’t like losing toys, so he began to start putting things away!
Heather says
How do you do this with two girls that share a room? The four year old changes a gazillion times a day and throws everything on the floor and the older six year old picks it up because she doesn’t want a messy room or her sister to get in trouble!
GuideKid says
Maybe it’s not easy to teach our kid cleaning their room. just wish they don’t make dirty other room. hahahha
Fung says
I would like to see more posts like this. I definitely enjoyed every bit of it and I have you bookmarked to see new information on your blog.
myusedcarblog says
My son is two and is already learning to clean his room. you have to start them early so they can get used to it.
Jeff says
Teaching our kids to keep their rooms clean is really necessary. They will be aware of being neatly organized and not cluttered everywhere. Thanks for a helpful article.
Guidem says
It is very important to guide kids to keep and clean his/her bedroom also whole house.
Gloria Nanalis says
I would love to try this too. Lots of job dealing with four kids. I hope this works to them.
Sarah Bennet says
Very interesting article. It is really important to teach your kids how to keep their rooms clean right from the start. Thanks for writing.
Deb Reader says
Great idea. I think I will implement it with books though – that is what is always all over their bedroom floor! You are lucky to have such creative minds running around your house!
Deb
http://www.bookinspiredplay.com
murtaza says
It is actually a great and helpful piece of information. I am satisfied that you simply shared this helpful information with us. Please stay us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
Catherine Carr says
I have two Boys aged 8 and 12, of course they don’t care much about the tidiness of their rooms. To be honest, what bothered me most were the endless discussions between the Boys and my wife whether their room is tidy enough or not. This is why I had the idea to develop a MessoMeter that just measures the tidiness in the children’s rooms, and presents it in a playful way. It’s really fun and helps a lot!
Gameimake says
Great post..Awesome activities ideas for kids.keep it up
Mani says
Thanks for sharing the post very helpful. 🙂
Jonathan Fleming says
Cleaning their bed after sleeping could be a good trait to develop for a kid. If they could be responsible for small things, they can be responsible for bigger things as well.
Samuel Brown says
Excellent. Absolutely loved reading and very helpful at the same time 🙂
Cara says
Funny I found this super-old post now. This is exactly what I’ve been going through for ages, and I finally had it. I chose a solution that’s helping me more than helping them learn responsibility, but right now they’re 5 and 3 and it’s more important that I don’t spend so much time picking up, doing laundry and folding clothes. I took the clothes away. I’m storing them in laundry baskets in the basement. If they want a new outfit in the morning, they hand over dirty PJs or show me the PJs under their pillow. If they want PJs at night, they hand over the day’s outfit to be refolded or put in the laundry. It’s only been a few days–and it is a hassle when they need something in the middle of the day like a sweater to go outside–but the way their floor looks, so far it’s worth it! I’m hoping that breaking them of the habit of shedding old clothes wherever will help them be responsible when I eventually bring back their clothes for more personal control.
Emma McGann says
Your ideas are simple amazing. I would like to teach my child and finally I got details by your article. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Norma Rickman says
This is a fantastic rule! I wish I had it when my kids were younger. Definitely going to pass it on to my sister for my niece and nephew. If it’s one thing they hate it’s going to bed so this one will be a great incentive!
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
Lol- mine, too. I know that some disagree, but it just makes it easy: if your room is clean, you go to bed early. (I have explained it as: I have to clean it during the day, so you have taken time away from me… now I am taking free-time away from them in return.) . I am never mean or unkind about it and they understand. 🙂
Olivia says
This is an awesome idea! Eventually I want to get my kids to do their own laundry, at the moment its a battle to get them to not throw their uniform all over the floor… baby steps!
Jennifer says
Hello Becky,
This is an awesome idea! my kids are 7 and 9. I tell them to do this these things in the morning. Every morning. But it happens sometimes and most times not . I Hope this will work! Does this apply to their beds not being made in the morning?
Thank you
Jennifer
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
To be honest, I don’t know what I’d do about beds – our kids have to have them made before they come downstairs & they have been doing this since they were old enough to make their beds, so it’s never been an issue. I think if they didn’t make them, I’d probably have it apply, as well.
Barbara Jones says
These are all really great ideas. I remember when mine were young they would strew the books all over the floor…
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
It’s definitely a struggle all parents face 🙂
Lucretia says
I love the ideal of going to bed earlier if clothes are left on the floor and the chore sticks! I have custody of my three grandchildren and I’m looking for techniques..I just found several of them…..Thanks😊
Becky (Your Modern Family) says
So glad you liked the ideas! Good luck!
Silva Wardrobe Co says
These are really effective ideas for small kids and it’s better to develop good habits in children in their childhood.
Michael Norman says
Once we get into a groove and train our kids in the habit of tidiness, we will all feel better! It is totally worth the time it takes each day to help our young ones take ownership to manage their own space. The more you do it, the less time it takes. Tidiness brings more peace to our home, sets our kids up for future success, connects our kids deeper to us, and helps them feel better about themselves.
-Michael
Emily Watson says
Thanks for Sharing this Post. 🙂
Barter Design says
That sounds like a great idea! It would work for kids that love to stay awake late, but what if it’s a special case of a child that doesn’t mind sleeping early? I guess it has to be a different rule for those kids.
Becky Mansfield says
I agree. 🙂