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Original poster

Mumsnet survey - how many of you have got a 3 year old who tidies up without being asked?

55 replies

Dottydot · 08/04/2007 21:07

Dp thinks that now ds2 is 3 (well, from tomorrow), he should be starting to remember to tidy up after he's been playing with stuff.

I think she's bonkers and we'll need to be asking/telling him to tidy up for a good while yet.

She said why don't you start a thread - she's convinced there are squillions of thoughtful 3 year olds out there who put their toys away once they've played with them...

Prove me right!!

OP posts:
Laura032004 · 08/04/2007 21:28

DS1 will tidy up if bribed or prompted. I will often ask him to tidy away one type of toy when he wants to play with something completely different. I usually 'help' him - I tidy really, and get him to help me

lizziemun · 08/04/2007 21:41

No - when asked to help dd always says i can't my legs are tired.

ALthough i know she does it when at nursey.

bunnypeculiar · 08/04/2007 21:43

ha! Ds will do tidy up time occassionally IF I sing the doodle do and/or big cook little cook tidying songs. Otherwise. nada, & wouldn't expect anything!

monkeyandcheekychops · 08/04/2007 21:47

My DS was 3 on Saturday and he tidies up all the time.

I think it helps if they have a special place for everything, i.e. a box for cars, a shelf for soft toys... that way he can help properly, and we have regular clear outs of broken toys or ones he doesn't play with.

He gave me into trouble the other day for putting cars in his dinosaur box when we were having a quick tidy before visitors!

I don't think it's that bonkers tbh, but it's not a magical thing that happens over night and he's always been this way x

Original poster
Dottydot · 08/04/2007 21:53

Well I can't show her the thread now, can I - she'll look at yours Monkey and go Aha - I told you!

OP posts:
bunnypeculiar · 08/04/2007 21:55

one monkey ... many others!
And have to say monkey - we try and have compartmentalised toys - it does seem to help ds, but in no way makes him spontaneously tidy up . Sadly.

hunkermunker · 08/04/2007 21:57

Happy birthday DS2, Dottydot!

DS1 will sometimes tidy up without being asked. But more often than not, he won't.

He will tidy away things his brother wants to play with though

FrayedKnot · 08/04/2007 21:58

DS is expected to help tidy up at nursery but generally refuses at home.

My expectations of him have never been that he should tidy up before now (he's just 3) but I have been thinkig now he is old enough to start helping tidy...

We did read a book teh otehr day called "Mess Monsters" which briefly made him want to tidy his room but he just told me to do it...

monkeyandcheekychops · 08/04/2007 22:05

Oh I'm sorry!

Nightynight · 08/04/2007 22:08

the only thing my 3 yrs old does withot being asked is choose a dvd, and help herself to food from the fridge.

She helps to tidy if I suggest it, and show her where stuff is supposed to go.

monkeyandcheekychops · 08/04/2007 22:08

Also I find a race to pick up all the toys fastest can help sometimes if he's not interested, maybe make up a game to help?

I better be quiet or i'll be booed off stage!x

essanel · 08/04/2007 22:13

Have to say I have an angel dd (nearly 4) who tidys her and ds toys away - she also loves cleaning in general and is always helping to dust and wipe surfaces. She always keeps her room tidy and puts her own washing away - its not something we have forced her to do she just always does it! Can't wait till she is old enough to iron

roseylea · 08/04/2007 22:17

hahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa at the possibility of my 3 y o ds putting anything away out of choice!

This is the boy who feels insecure in tidy rooms and empties toyboxes to find a single toy.

And I am the mum who has the "If you haven't tidied your toys away, you're not getting any milk before bed" rule (boo hiss!)

cat64 · 08/04/2007 22:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Aloha · 08/04/2007 22:20

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha (repeat to fade)

tobysmumkent · 08/04/2007 22:31

Message withdrawn

BarbieLovesKen · 08/04/2007 22:45

dd (17months) puts rubbish in the bin, (trys) to sweep and mop the floor and finds a towel and gets down on all fours to wipe the floor, front of cupboards and table (legs)

she does tidy her own toys away, but I have to ask her.

Marina · 08/04/2007 22:46

Dd does help tidy up sometimes, but it usually involves screeching and eye-rolling on both sides
Ds lives in a kind of lair of shredded Dr Who comics, Lego and old socks. He's nearly eight.
Dotty, your dp is either bonkers or Pollyanna

juuule · 08/04/2007 23:48

I have. She has also been known to wash the pots, dry them and put them away in the correct place She tidies up after herself and others. I think as always it depends on the child.

IdrisTheDragon · 08/04/2007 23:52

DS is 3.4. Is veyr unlikley to tidy up at home, but when we're at a toddler group will suddenly turn into the world's tidiest toddler when it is time to tidy up. I think it is connected to (a) then being able to run about in an empty hall and (b) delaying tactics so we don't leave too early .

IdrisTheDragon · 08/04/2007 23:57

DD is 18 months and likes sweeping. And putting things in the bin.

pucca · 09/04/2007 00:16

Er in short...no

Dd is 3.3yo and completely refuses point blank to tidy up, infact the only way she will tidy up is through blackmail lol

Upsadaisy · 09/04/2007 00:26

Hahahahhaahahahahhahahah tidying up hahahaha erm no not in the slightest.

meowmix · 09/04/2007 06:17

if without asking means a couple of choruses of the tidy up song plus Mummy showing him (and DH come to that) how to tidy up, followed by a bit of intense wheedling sliding into pleading before realising that the jobs done then... Yes.

tatt · 09/04/2007 08:15

in my dreams

only by putting all their toys in a plastic bag if not put away (and threatening to give them to a charity shop) can I get mine to tidy up now.

They did each go through a helpful phase where they liked to copy but it didn't last. Even then it was copying or helping, they didn't start tidying by themselves.

If you are obsesive about tidying yourself they may also become obsessive in time. But obsessives aren't the easiest people to live with. They may react by becoming extremely messy instead.