Is your teen's bedroom a food free zone?

[JMSA]

I am thinking of implementing this for my 15 year old daughter, as I am done with it being so disgusting. Love her to pieces but she's bone idle, to the extent that empty crisp packets etc don't always make it to the bin that's right beside her bed!
In the next month or so, she is going to have her own bedroom as my eldest will be moving out. Until then, she will always have shared with her slightly older (tidier!) sister.
I wish to God I had enforced the no food rule when they were young. But it's something I'm going to have to do now, so that the new bedroom doesn't get out of control. I'm usually a soft touch but she has absolutely brought this on herself.
Is your teen allowed to have food in bed? What rules have you put in place to ensure that it doesn't become a pig-sty, or are they good at regulating this themselves? I'd be particularly interested to hear from those who introduced it later on as well.
For those who say 'leave them to it, it's their own space', well, I can't. We live in a flat and the rooms are visible enough, as they all lead off one hallway. Plus, it's Georgian, so although we haven't had any mice visiting for quite some time (ironically better since our cat passed away!), it's certainly not unheard of.
No judgment please. As I said, I wish I had done this long ago. But I'm a single mum of three who works full-time and is doing her level best
Thanks.

Perhaps when sister moves out you can decorate and put the request in then. I tried to but DC just ignore me and do it anyway. I have a bring you litter to the big bin once a week the night before bin day rule instead.

We just have a once a week bring all your litter, plates and cups down.

You have to pick your battles with teens. This isn't a worthwhile battle for me.

Thank you. My eldest is 23, so this isn't my first rodeo with teens. But it's bloody hard when you like things clean and tidy!
I dunno, it's just a bit depressing when you see the mattress for the new bed she wanted a couple of years ago, and already it's looking gross.
Funny, I implemented a 'no shoes indoors' rule when they were wee, and they wouldn't even think of walking around inside with their shoes on! I do wonder if the food thing would have been as easy to manage. Probably not.
And honestly, I am a really laidback parent. I know it doesn't sound it!

Mine aren’t supposed to take food to their rooms and generally they don’t apart from the odd snack which would always be a “dry” snack ie. no yoghurts or bowls of cereal etc. They don’t eat meals up there and know this isn’t allowed. They don’t really stick to a lot of my rules so actually I’ve almost surprised myself writing this down!

My DDs are allowed food in bedrooms but they do bring things down to be washed regularly so it's not really a problem.
I'm fairly relaxed about their rooms but would hate it if plates and mugs were in there festering for weeks!
I think you would be absolutely right to implement this rule though, it's your house and your DD has to respect it.
Why don't you give her a warning first and and a trial run maybe 2 weeks to see how she does then if she hasn't kept it clean bring in the no food rule

Yes but they bring plates and rubbish out each evening

'Dry' food was absolutely the compromise I was thinking of, in the event that everyone told me I was being unreasonable

I have three teens and I don't have this rule personally. I don't think you're being unreasonable though!

Ours is supposed to be and it works in that she doesn’t take plates of food there and I turn a blind eye to sweets and chocolate as long as they don’t leave a mess. Sometimes this slips though and we’ve had to pull her up on it a few times. The idea was to avoid the carpet being ruined but unfortunately make up has done that anyway

Mine are allowed food in their rooms.
Eldest has always been scrupulous and tides away packets and cutlery straight away.
Youngest has SEN so I had to give up tyring to keep her room tidy and she just brings it all down every couple of days.
I have just bought a stick vacuum and the kids have used it far more than the old upright Dyson ever was.

This sounds like our house. The fake tan has ruined the carpet!

I never allowed food upstairs and it's a rule that has just stayed in place without enforcement, I think because she doesn't hang out in her room that much and tends to be downstairs with me when she's home.

No meals upstairs but snacks and drinks are fine. They do tend to have them while they are at the desk though, rather than in bed.
They have to bring everything down and put it in the dishwasher/bin at least every Friday, but often I'll say I'm putting the dishwasher on, go and get your cups. (Although this is mainly because the cleaner comes on Fridays and I say she won't do their room if it's a mess, they'll have to 😂.)

Mine generally don’t but they have other spaces where they hang out downstairs with similar issues- sweet wrappers stuffed down cushions when there’s a wastepaper basket right beside the couch they’re sitting on.

It’s a bit easier to compel a regular tidy up in downstairs spaces. I leave their bedrooms alone as their private sanctuary and they usually get a huge clean up and clear out right before exams when they’re procrastistracting.

We had an ant invasion years ago that left a big impression so they’re very good at not leaving actual food around because they know all the floor clutter could end up binned.

After a 'spaghetti bolognaise on the landing carpet' incident (don't even ask) we are food free. They actually took to it pretty well after viewing the tomato stained carnage and being on the receiving end of my wrath! 🙄🤣

We have a no food rule upstairs for everyone.

😅

Really? Mine could think of nothing worse than hanging around by my side, which is why it's only the bedroom that's the problem!

Are you me? 😁
My daughter is 16, I thought she'd be hiding in her room all the time by now and only coming out like a troll for food but there she is, on the sofa, in the living room with me. ALL the time!

We have a no food in the bedroom rule too, but again, child doesn't spend much time in her room unless it's to sleep or occasionally do her homework, although she tries to do that on the sofa too, so it's not something I have to battle over.

We have no food upstairs, but have always had the rule so they don’t even question it.

I do wonder if DS is going to feel differently after spending a term in halls at uni.

No food in bedrooms here too. But bedrooms are just for sleeping in here as they have a playroom downstairs which has morphed over the years into a study room/gaming room.

If this were my child I would be talking to them and getting them to understand my point of view, so I would ask what she is thinking when "empty crisp packets etc don't always make it to the bin that's right beside her bed!" she would never do that in a classroom ie dump stuff on the floor so why does she think it is acceptable to do it at home?

This is a negotiation, you will allow food if she puts rubbish in the bin, brings down plates, cups etc but she needs to get into the habit of doing it daily, you may need to remind her a few times.

We have "family meetings" all the time, anyone can call one, a parent, a child and things are discussed anything from a later bed time or a tidying issue. The children then felt heard and learned to negotiate well.

We have never allowed food upstairs and all 3 teens have never questioned it. We have also found that it means that we actually all eat dinner together most evenings- clubs, jobs and so on sometimes mean someone is absent. It’s nice to have a reason for them to spend time together and downstairs!

Ours don’t, but their rooms in our London terrace are quite small - not really ‘hang out spaces’. Well, DD’s is a reasonable size, then she wanted a double bed so that now covers half the floor space…

Yes, well strictly speaking it's no food but I know crisps and similar go upstairs a bit however they are all mid 20's now. I've never allowed anything but water

No food upstairs in our house. The amount of glasses and mugs that accumulate in their bedrooms is bad enough without adding leftover food into the equation.