Do you make your DC (aged 9) pick up their bedrooms?

[gaussgirl]

Not really primary but the 'behaviour' section is full of toddler taming!

DS1 is 9. I've just been into his room and the floor is COVERED in Pokemon cards, laid out in lines and groups (ie not slung down willy-nilly). He has hundreds (carboot, mainly!). Now, I told him he needed to pick them up or at least move them to under his hi-sleeper so I can access the airing cupboard. This was met with dissent along the lines of 'It's MY room, can't I leave them out?', 'What harm are they doing?'.

Well, thing is, he MAY have a point on both counts! Neither he or DS2 (7) are very messy DCs but we do allow them to keep their lego upended (for up to say 4 days before we pick it all up OR they've lost interest) over one end of our vast lounge as it's their 'toy' area. I do try and insist that they can only have no more than 3 toys or things out at one time (which might be 50 Dinky cars!). Should I be discouraging some more 'inventive' play that might see some sort of sizeable 'battlefield' left out over a few days? Or am I encouraging messy minds?

I can recall how we, as DCs were NEVER allowed to leave a toy out in the house- you had to watch even nipping to the loo with my mother on the prowl!

But, with my own DS, IS the issue that I have to get to the airing cupboard or should I insist that the floor is never left strewn with cards?

What would you do?

No they are too heavy........

I would make him move the tbh. You are being reasonable by saying they can stay out but you need access to the cupboard., The other thing you could do is leave all the sheets etc/whatever lives in the cupboard, on the floor in front of the cupboard until he gets the message.

Make him pick them up - in ten years it's going to be CDs/girls/Kerrang magazine/motorbike parts.

Start now, less of a shock for the wee soul, as well saving you a world of criticism from his future partners -

"I suppose your Mum let you leave your crap everywhere, did she?"

Yes and dcs have been tidying since they were 4 or 5. You need access to airing cupboard. You need to hoover so the floor needs to be tidy. End of. Maybe make it part of weekly ir bi-weekly chores? Maybe pocket money rewarded?

LOL strudelface - opened this thread to say just that!

why thank you stillstanding

Yes, I do think I should be firm! In fact, I told him that he had to at least clear a path to the cupboard (I'm afraid he just wouldn't NOTICE a pile of towels or sheets in the middle of his floor!), but what he did was swept a path through them, basically completely messing up any order or category the cards were laid in- so I said 'Right, NOW that's just a mess, pick them ALL up or no computer time!'. He did.

I am aware of the necessity of training him for the future, too. I have a bachelor brother and one of the endless complaints I'd hear from his girlfriends is 'Doesn't your brother EVER clean up?' (No, he never cleans up etc!) and I actually believe that has contributed to relationship failures. My mother doesn't help as HER attitude is 'Well, they'll just have to put up with it or ship out' which has left him approaching 50 and very much single!

I admit I'm not Tidy Incarnate- I tend to allow a certain amount of 'build up' then blitz (hence perhaps allowing toys out in the living area for 3-4 days at a stretch) , but if someone was coming around to visit I could get the place "Home Beautiful" in an hour so it's not THAT bad!