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Behaviour/development

Advice needed re dd (6) and untidy bedroom

10 replies

Miaou · 25/02/2005 13:28

I'll try and keep this short but I'm a terrible waffler....

dd2 is 6 and now has her own room. I have always encouraged the dds to take as much responsibility as they are able to, and they are expected to make their beds, put dirty clothes to wash and tidy up their rooms when they have been playing (which they do quite happily). This was fine whilst they both shared a room, but now dd2 is finding this quite difficult. It's pretty obvious to me that dd1 (who is a very organised tidy person) has been giving her a lot of help previously! Thing is, I'm finding it difficult to "help" her with this - I've instituted a "place for everything and everything in its place" rule, but she seems to get a bit lost sometimes and I know I am not terribly patient with her .

Two things - can you help me with some more strategies to help her be tidier?

Also - am I expecting too much of her, re tidying her own room at her age?

TIA

Miaou

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Gwenick · 25/02/2005 13:30

Afraid I can't think of any stragies - but no I don't think she's too young. I alwasy 'thought' that 5 or 6yrs old was the time I would expect my DS1 to start being able to tidy his room on his own. However, him COMPLETLEY trashing it the other week and me telling him he wasn't allowed downstairs until it was tidy changed my views - he's 4yrs old (5 in september) and tided it better than I probably would have.

Hope someone else can help come up with some ideas.

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soapbox · 25/02/2005 13:32

My DD is the same age and my DS is 4, nearly 5. They do struggle to keep their bedroom tidy so each Sunday evening we have a bedroom tidying competition.

The both tidy their bedrooms DH does the family room and I do the kitchen.

At the end of 30mins exactly we vote on whos done the best job that week. Now most weeks my vote comes last (we all vote out of 10) and unless one of the DCs has made no effort at all compared to the other they both draw for the prize. Prizes vary depending on what we have lying around, but its usually something small like a pocket money toy or packet of sweets.

It really does work well for us! Means we can all sit down on a Sunday evening and relax without tidying up for the whole evening

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Miaou · 25/02/2005 17:40

bump - any more advice from the teatime crows?

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Miaou · 25/02/2005 17:41

ooops, that was meant to be crowd

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roisin · 25/02/2005 17:49

No, I don't think she's too young.

Do you think she is getting 'a bit lost' because a) she doesn't know how to get started with the tidying up, or b) she can't remember where things go, or c) she has had too many things out at once and it's overwhelming?

a) Talking her through an approach might help: Choose one thing to tidy up first, pick all the dolls (or whatever) up and put them in their basket. (In our house it's Lego and K'nex!)

b) You could physically label the boxes or drawers or shelves for her.

c) Remind her again to get just one thing out at a time to play with it, then put it away before getting the next thing out.

Hope something in amongst that is helpful ... from a fellow waffler

Roisin

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MunchedTooManyMarsLady · 25/02/2005 17:51

tea time crow here lol

Haven't anything to add really, but I do tell mine that Mr Black Plastic Bag will be making housecalls each weekend and it's up to them how full he is when he leaves.

Love that, tea time crow lol lol

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Miaou · 25/02/2005 17:53

Thanks roisin - I've done some of those things before but let them lapse - will have another go!

(PS I am sure you don't look a bit like a crow }

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roisin · 25/02/2005 17:56

Caw caw caw

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Miaou · 25/02/2005 17:58

Marslady i like Mr Black Plastic Bag

Scuse me while I go flap my wings and go in search of a squashed hedgehog

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roisin · 25/02/2005 18:05

Did you know the collective noun for crows is murder?
A murder of crows
I only learned that yesterday ... from ds1!

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