Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Flip

Original poster

Getting my children to tidy their own room.

22 replies

misdee · 05/08/2006 12:15

dd1+2 share a room, its a bomb site, again. i have swept everything into a pile and asked them sort it out. 2hours later and they are still messing about and nothing has been put away. they want me to help, i have said once they put the toys away and rubbish in the bin, i will sweep the floor properly and wash it. thats fair isnt it? i will still put the clean clothes away and remake the beds once the bedding has been washed.

i can feel my blood boiling over this. I am fed up of the mess.

OP posts:

Original poster

misdee · 05/08/2006 12:19

now dd1 has come out crying cos 'she cant do it by herself' well FFS they can sure as hell make the mess by themselves so they can bloody well clear it up!!

OP posts:

pecka · 05/08/2006 12:19

it might seem a bit overwhelming for them. Why not make a cuppa and sit on the bed calling out instructions to focus their attention.

"DD get all of your dolls and put them in that box"

"now pile the books up"

"well done, now pick the rubbish up and put it in the bin"

Original poster

misdee · 05/08/2006 12:21

have already done that. as soon as i leave the room they just dont do it. i was just in the room opposite folding laundry. now am feeding dd3.

OP posts:

pecka · 05/08/2006 12:23

put some music on and turn it into a race?

Greensleeves · 05/08/2006 12:23

I am trying to instil in my nearly 4yo and nearly 2yo that "it doesn't matter who made the mess, we all help each other in our family, we all tidy up/clean, it's the way we do things". They are starting to get the message, but the nearly 4yo is VERY grudging about it. I fear he may be a bit spoilt

southeastastra · 05/08/2006 12:25

i have this problem and always end up doing half of it for them!

i can spent a day sorting lego from cars. i don't know if there is a way to make them do it! why do i always find half pencils and rubbish amongst it all as well??

FrannyandZooey · 05/08/2006 12:26

That's cool Greeny, does it extend to other things as well?

"It doesn't matter that Franny ran up this credit card bill, we all help each other, it's the way we do things"

Greensleeves · 05/08/2006 12:29

Yes, Franny, it sort of does really....I am raising a nest of communists

Original poster

misdee · 05/08/2006 12:31

thats just it greensleeves, i do that for all other 'shared' rooms, ie living room, but feel that age (almost)4 and 6 they should be taking responsibility for their own room. they keep asking me for new pens and pencils but each time we tidy their room (this is despite them havuing pencil cases) i find about 10 pens with no lids. so they arent getting any mroe till they can prove they can take care of the ones they have left.

dd2 is now having a strop because she wants to wear her crown she made, i have said she can wear it once the room is finished.

OP posts:

FrannyandZooey · 05/08/2006 12:31

Well that's groovy, I will send the bill round asap, and I also have a garden needs weeding, sort it out will you?

Gobbledigook · 05/08/2006 12:32

In the playroom I do exactly what pecka suggests. I have to sit and instruct each one to do a different activity, pointing out a brick over there or a car over here that they have missed. It's annoying that I can't leave them to it - ds1 is 5 and he would do it without me but ds2 is 3.5 and he wouldn't. I'm afraid I have to bribe him to do it at the moment.

By doing sticker charts though I've now got them making their own beds each morning, folding their pjs and putting them on the pillow and helping with tidying the playroom. They are also now taking things from the dining table to the sink or rubbish bin - don't know why I didn't do this before.

Anyway, going off there - would sticker charts help? I think I'm going to switch to a marble jar which a friend says is working for her. Mind you, she has one ds of 5 and the other is 18 months. Because my eldest are 5 and 3.5 they distract each other - if I just had one or the other I think it would be easier to get them to do it. That's why I have to 'individualise' it with bribes so they aren't necessarily 'in it together'. Oooh, am evil!

Original poster

misdee · 05/08/2006 12:33

i am wonderinf if now could be the right age to introduce pocket money for chores?

OP posts:

Gobbledigook · 05/08/2006 12:34

My friend who does teh marble jar with her 5yr old gives 50p at the end of the week I think - must be if he has a certain number in it or something.

JanH · 05/08/2006 12:38

misdee, you have my complete sympathy, it's infuriating, especially when you have another littler one to see to as well (and you're on your own with them ) but pecka is right, they're not going to be able to do it undirected, they're overfaced by it. Could you sit in with them when dd3 has a nap and give them a hand with it?

(DS2 is 13 and still doesn't know how to tidy up without step-by-step instructions. I fear he is badly raised...)

GDG, if DS1 is capable of doing it by himself he's doing really well! (btw did you see my post about Rick Stein's chippy last night?)

Original poster

misdee · 05/08/2006 12:38

oooooooo few minutes after mentioning pocket money, the floor is clear!!

OP posts:

Original poster

misdee · 05/08/2006 12:39

dd3 is sill awake. she wont feed in dd1+2 room, too much stuuff in there to distract her.

OP posts:

JanH · 05/08/2006 12:39

Well that's good but where have they put it all??

Original poster

misdee · 05/08/2006 12:40

in the toy boxes and bin i hope!!

OP posts:

JanH · 05/08/2006 12:41

Not just shoved under their beds then?

Original poster

misdee · 05/08/2006 12:43

have said i will inspect the room when dd3 is finished feeding. dd1 said 'some stuff fell under dd2 bed when she was tidying' so is back doing it again lol.

OP posts:

JanH · 05/08/2006 12:54

hahahahaha!!!

Kids are great, aren't they!

Original poster

misdee · 05/08/2006 14:12

the floor was spotless

she even attempted to use the dustpan and brush!!

amazing what a 50p incentive can do. they have spent it on a cake each lol.

OP posts:

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread