to tidy DS1s bedroom with a shovel and a bin sack?

[SoupDragon]

He's 11. I told him back at the start of the summer holiday that he wouldn't be having a Facebook account until he has tidied his room. He has made absolutely zero effort. Literally nothing. It would be a simple job to get the snow shovel and a large sack and clear it completely in around 15 minutes.

However, this would make me a hypocrite as my childhood room was very similar and I am simply not a tidy person myself. and i can't bear the thought of throwing away things which may be important.

Mumof4sons I love your comment about the safe path and it sums up my daily argument with my ocd partner...the children live in a clean but disorganised home...they will not remember the mess just all the lovely stuff we did.

I think children have to be taught to tidy up from a very young age. I remember my mother always moaning and moaning about the state of my bedroom but I truly did not know how to tidy up. She/nobody ever taught me. I just presumed you chucked it all under the bed and in the wardrobe and in any drawer possible. Now, I live in a really tidy house. Can't stand mess and my children know that they have to tidy up or else!

My dd used to be a brilliant tidy upper around 2 years of age but for the last year she has been terrible and he arm/hand/leg hurts if we ask her to do any.