I need help! I cant get my kids to pick up their toys!

Tyeshia - posted on 07/04/2012

My daughter didn't want to clean her room or pick up her toys either. So I did it for her, what I mean by that is, I took all her toys that were on the floor in her room and threw them away. Which came home from school went to her room and was crying she didn't have a lot of toys anymore. She keeps her room spotless now and when ever I walk by her room she says "I'm picking my toys up as soon as I'm finish playing mommy". It was a little extreme what I did but I got my point across.

Courtney - posted on 07/01/2012

this is something u should talk to ur husband about. it sounds like their blood mother is making nasty comments about hn the kids are around and turning them against u. that being said, my husband's suggestion is if all else has failed actually throw the toys out.

Rebeka - posted on 06/16/2012

The kids need to be able to trust you before they will respect what u are telling them what to do. I suggest sitting them down with your husband and define some house rules (picking up toys and cleaning up after themselves) and consequences that you can follow through with. If your not consistent then they are not going to think you are very serious. Also, your 2 yo should have no problem understanding that he needs to pick up toys. He is old enough to understand the rules and consequences- don't let him get away with too much. Good luck. Hope this helps you and your husband out. Is he on board with helping u get the kids to follow the rules and being consequences?

Rebeka - posted on 06/16/2012

The kids need to be able to trust you before they will respect what u are telling them what to do. I suggest sitting them down with your husband and define some house rules (picking up toys and cleaning up after themselves) and consequences that you can follow through with. If your not consistent then they are not going to think you are very serious. Also, your 2 yo should have no problem understanding that he needs to pick up toys. He is old enough to understand the rules and consequences- don't let him get away with too much. Good luck. Hope this helps you and your husband out. Is he on board with helping u get the kids to follow the rules and being consequences?

Jennifer - posted on 06/16/2012

Try putting the toys in a separate room with a lock...when they refuse to pick up their toys lock the door and simply tell them when they can start listening to you then you will unlock the door. I have even gone as far as taking the cable box out of my kids' room and locking it up with the toys. I have also found trash bags are effective....bag it up and put it somewhere near the trash....maybe they will get the point.

Tamera - posted on 06/11/2012

We do the trash trick on my daughter who is 5. When and after her room is cleaned we put.the ag in.her closet. My son who is is 9. has learned. to put his things away. A Friend of mine had problems with her daughter cleaning her room. so one day while she.was at school they tubbedall her toys and put them in the carport til she learned to put her things away. They started giving her one tub at a time.

Alyson - posted on 06/10/2012

Definitely have a responsibility chart in the house and go over the chores every day marking them with a star or smiley face for what they have completed, picking up toys should definitely be on there. Do not incentivise having completed all of their chores or responsibilities with prizes, or treats alll of the time unless really renecessary, but rather with TV time or whatever they feel they are otherwise entitled to have. Take the toys away or TV away if they refuse to comply with your rules. We have put all of the toys they leave on the floor in a garbage bag and put them away for a week or however long for them to grasp the lesson. Toys are a privelage and a luxury and they need to repect the fact they have to share the house with the rest of the family.

Shana - posted on 06/07/2012

I have sorta the same problem, my son is 2 in a half and he likes to be lazy and doesnt want to pick up his toys when i ask him and when i do he says i cant and i said theres no such thing as i cant, and when i clean them up he scatters them all over the place even after i jist cleaned them up.

Shana - posted on 06/07/2012

I have sorta the same problem, my son is 2 in a half and he likes to be lazy and doesnt want to pick up his toys when i ask him and when i do he says i cant and i said theres no such thing as i cant, and when i clean them up he scatters them all over the place even after i jist cleaned them up.

Shana - posted on 06/07/2012

I have sorta the same problem, my son is 2 in a half and he likes to be lazy and doesnt want to pick up his toys when i ask him and when i do he says i cant and i said theres no such thing as i cant, and when i clean them up he scatters them all over the place even after i jist cleaned them up.

Rita - posted on 06/06/2012

Try spending some extra time with each of them, or all of them together, just them -- not the older children included. You may be amazed at how big of a difference this makes. If you think about it, you're more likely to do things for someone you have a close relationship with rather than someone else -- same thing with kids. It may seem counterintuitive to do this, but you may be surprised.

Lee - posted on 06/05/2012

Maybe reward them at the times that they do it. Start a rewarding system, explain the rewarding system and reward those that deserve it by showing you that can do their "job" when told. I use to have the same problem of him saying "aww man" or "I don't feel like it", but now these things are called chores, and he get a dollar for each thing done. Or if hes on punishment I make him do chores to redeem a part of his punishment as a reward, such as 20 mins of t.v time, even though he not able to do the things he really want to do such as go outside or play video games, or get on the computer. In my mind this kind of enforces, "work hard play hard" or "you do the time you do the crime" even though i remind him, those in real life, even grown ups, who break rules don't get everything and anything they want.

Lisa - posted on 06/05/2012

WHEN AND IF YOU FIND THE ANSWER OR SOLUTION TO THAT PLEASE- LET ME KNOW! MY DAUGHTERS 8 AND I FEEL LIKE A BROKEN RECORD CONSTANTLY ASKING HER "PICK UP YOUR CLOTHES"; "PUT THEM IN THE DIRTY CLOTHES BASKET PLEASE". SOME DAYS I WONDER IF IT WILL EVER STICK!! I HAVE A STEP DAUGHTER ALSO WHO IS OLDER; BUT DID UNDERMIND ME ALOT- WHEN I STEPPED INTO HER DADS LIFE. I WENT THRU SOME TOUGH TIMES WITH HER; BOY; BUT KEEP STRONG AND LET THEM NOT FORGET YOUR STILL THE ELDER; AND STILL THE BOSS. EVENTUALLY......IT"LL WORK. GOOD LUCK!

Lauren - posted on 06/03/2012

Look up Conscience Disipline. It is super helpful. Start out giving them 2 options like would you like to pick up the blocks or cars first. 8 have a 5 and a 3 year old that were the same way and now that I give them the 2 choices they pick up so much easier with little trouble. Hope it helps.

Sarah - posted on 06/02/2012

I would do a rewards chart. For the 7yr old.....what thing does he/she really like to do/play with? For my kids it is their ipod or ninetendo, so this is what gets limited and earned. So for the 7 yr old find that one thing he/she really likes to do. Then start by making a chart. He/she can earn extra time doing whatever that thing is by completing the things on the chart (make bed, pick up toys, help set table, etc.). Put some things on that chart that you don't require in a day, but might be helpful if he/she does. Then assign an amount of time that is earned for doing those tasks. For the 4 yr old make it a bit simpler. The reward needs to be more immediate. It should be something that he/she also really enjoys, but something that can be given or done as soon as he/she has completed the task. This is also true for the 2 yr old. Make a chart for each person that they can put stickers on when they complete a task.

Besides the rewards chart I would also try to pick a few times throughout the day where picking up is just part of the routine. For my house we pick up right before we eat lunch and right before we start the bed time routine......giving enough time to get things picked up (usually 30 mins.). Have a place for each item. I have totes. A tote for dolls and their stuff, a tote for cars and trucks, a tote for dress-up stuff, and then a toy box where mis. stuff goes. This makes it nice for them to know where to put everything, but also nice because a tote is easy storage. I also help them pick up. I find that if I just ask them to pick up and that is it then all I do is get after them for not picking up. If I am down helping them then it works better. I will pick up a few, but also give them toys to put away. You can also make a game out of it......see who can pick up the most stuff or who can beat who. For the little ones you can also make it a learning game. Have them pick up all the red toys or all the blue toys or all the toys that are round. I am also saying "good job" and "thank you" MANY times throughout the time we are picking up.

Amy - posted on 06/02/2012

This sounds really mean....but really worked. My four year old, wouldn't pick up her toys either.....until I told her that if mommy and daddy had to pick up your toys then they would go in the garbage. So that day we grabbed a garbage bag and put all her toys in it that she wouldn't pick up. We hid the bag for about a week or so, then when she wasn't home we put the toys back. But now every time its time to pick up she does it. Lately I've had to set a timer (amt of time appropriate for the mess) tell her she has until the timer goes off to pick up...then whatever isn't picked up goes in the garbage. It still works every time, and we haven't had to put things in a garbage bag since.

Jessica - posted on 06/01/2012

I agree with Jessica I tell him my 5 year old to clean , second time I try to give exact chores put sneaker behind door cars inbox etc, he is warned if not his toys will be thrown out because those r big boy toys and he is not picking up and acting like a baby . Everything goes in clean bad and after a while of sulking he will clean on his own then call be to check

Annette - posted on 06/01/2012

I have done that, just toss their toys in the trash. Its like they really dont care.I mean the boys have not had their car buckets for 5 months now because they don't pick them up and throw them everywhere. Its just so annoying and frustrating that I cant get them to do anything here and its not like I got a chore list for them to do. Just want them to pick up their toys.

America3437 - posted on 06/01/2012

I agree with Jessica. Throw them in the "trash".

Jessica - posted on 06/01/2012

If my son doesn't at least help put his toys away they start going in the trash, I make sure it is a clean bag but make sure he sees me do it, i give him a few minutes and if he still doesn't help clean up, i go for another toy in the trash can, he will flip out and run around and try to get to all his toys, it seems kind of mean i guess, but i am also pregnant and the bending over gets pretty old, but now he knows if the trash can comes out i mean business. PS I take the toys out of the trash and hide them when he isn't looking and they come back out at a later date, he is only 3 after all :)

Maren - posted on 05/31/2012

With my kids ages 5 and 3, if I tell them to clean their room nothing happens. However, if I go up with them and give them each a job it gets done. For example I will tell my 5 yo to put the books away, and my 3yo to put all the balls away. Once the first job is done I give them another untill it is all done. Even a 7 yo can get distracted when trying to put up toys, and getting directions and only 1 thing to do at a time is helpful. It shouldn't take to long for the 7 yo to then learn exactly is expected and maybe even wright it out on a page to refer to so it can be done without your direction, but checking in every few minutes. The other two kids will need your help longer. ALso make sure they know the consequences (no tv/ movie/ videogame) if they do not complete it with in a given amount of time (1 hr/ 30 min) whatever you are comfortable with.
I hope this helps, good luck.

Sylvia - posted on 05/31/2012

Try get someone to cancel them through because a 7yr en a four, they understand what they are doing, maybe a 2yr, still young.

Firebird - posted on 05/30/2012

My daughter isn't allowed to watch any movies (we don't have cable), or play on the Wii, or computer until she's picked up her toys. Does their father help you enforce house rules such as picking up toys?