adivce on how to get family to pick up after themselves

[hanreeoak]

Anyone got any advice on how to get my family to pick up after themselves, I do my best to keep the place tidy but with three children and a dog it can be hard. My husband is the messiest and I think they just copy him. My children are 6, 3 and 16 months so quite young.

I'm just sick of cleaning and tidying and then looking round and it looks like I did not bother. I would just like to be proud of my home.

Any advice on organisation would be appreciated.

If you solve this one you will be a very rich lady!

I've just given ds (8) my rates for litter picking and tidying. Last night I called upstairs and told him I was putting my litter picking hat on. I have never seen him move so fast . Would be a difficult tactic with dc the ages of yours and dh though.

I go round with a big black bag from time to time and anything on the floor goes in. They have to then earn things back if they want them. I can't say it's really working yet. If you can crack this one, then please tell me the answer.

My dp is the worst of the bunch too, and with a newborn I really need him to NOTICE things more, so I don't turn into a nag! I sit on the sofa breastfeeding and pointing things out to him that he could do, but this generally has no effect whatsoever. I'm trying to train my 2-year old and make it fun to tidy, but being so little it doesn't make a huge impact, and is obviously much quicker if I just do it myself.

Awaiting better tips...

Saying nothing for long enough to turn you into a seething mass of bitter resentment and anger, then having a complete mad-woman hissy-fit works for me.

Is this something that bubbles over during the Easter hols d'you think - all my friends and I have been having this discussion... (See my 'does your child clean the toilet?' thread....)

Mine atr 10 & 7 and we have instigated a 'required chores for pocket money chart'. Can't comment on the success yet - part of the problem, like you, is that my DH isn't particularly good/ supportive. He works from home and tends to create 'piles' of stuff everywhere, so it's hard to get him to set a good example for the kids.. but I'm going to perservere...