Tidy Bedrooms ?

Christine - posted on 03/27/2010

My daughter is 20 months, but she picks up her toys before she goes down for a nap and before she goes to sleep, as well as when she wakes up if she has pulled anymore out. I believe that living in a clean or dirty environment is a reflection on your hygiene. When she is older she will grounded to her room if it is not clean and she will not be allowed to go outside and play until she has cleaned it. I don‘t think it will have to resort to that as she will even comment something is yucky or gross if it is dirty. With your kids step or not if one is cleaning the other should be as well, make them both clean their rooms at the same time everyday to not show favoritism and allow no activities until the room is clean. After a week or so you will not have to fight for them to clean their rooms. That is my suggestion only if you wish for them to clean their rooms as a regular habit.

Laura - posted on 03/27/2010

I have a stepdaughter and yes i make her clean her room..it drives me nuts to have a messy house!!! It is your house and kids should know what's expected of them and that it's not okay to live that way :) I also have a rule with my sd, that when she takes something out put it away before getting something else out. Once she's done playing, she has to clean her room. It's usually not too bad because I ask her to put things away after she's done with it..its less overwhelming for her to clean when its not too messy :)

Mandie - posted on 03/27/2010

I agree with the others- I let my lot do their thing during the day but they know they have to tidy up before bed, and before school for the older ones. My SK's used to give me the old 'we dont have to do this at mum's' and I would just say "Dont you? Oh ok well here you do."

Holly - posted on 03/26/2010

At the end of every day we take the last 5 minutes before bed and the kids tidy their rooms (we help the 2 year-old of course). I think it's natural for them to mess up their rooms playing and such, but I do believe that they need to make an effort to not constantly live in a pigsty and tidy their room at the end of the day. Our kids also help clean the living room at least once or twice a week if they have brought toys and such out there to play with as well.

Jessica - posted on 03/26/2010

I think that the kids should have tidy rooms. Let them play and get it all messy but at the end of the day (or when your ready) make them tidy it up. My sd loves to help me around the house and she is only 3.