kids + Cleaning Room = Nothing

[Guest]

I have been fussing at my two girls to get them to clean their room.
I mean at first their reason what "we have too much stuff" so one weekend while they were with their grandmother, i cleaned it. It took two days but I cleaned it. So all of the old clothes, too small etc was gone, including all the broke toys etc.

SO here it is... a few weeks later and its back to the way it was. I cant even walk in there. If Clyde (the cat) was in there I wouldnt be able to find him.

All of the clothes I folded, ironed etc is now on the floor.. why do they have to take the clothes out the drawer and throw it on the floor beats me!
I have taken privledges away, punished them etc.. and nothing is working. I cant stand looking at that **** room! I mean, Im not the neatest person.. although I try to be.. but Im not a maid! I am the mother **** it!

What should I do!

 

[dragonfly princess]

Um......I know what you can do!!! JOIN THE CLUB!!! sorry Sweety! I have 2 boys that do the exact same thing!! I have tried to take privledges away, but they don't care! The next step is to take everything out of the room and just leave the bed! Wish I could help you out better, but I think all kids are alike!

 

[Mandy]

I guess I was that way when I was a kid. I hated when my mom told me to clean my room. She took away privileges and offered rewards but nothing ever really seemed to work. The one trick she used that actually had an effect was she would buy a bag of candy (jelly beans, candy hearts, etc) and for every item we put away we could have 1 piece of candy. That way, it became a race between my brothers and I to see who could get the most candy before the bag was all gone.

 

[Tabitha]

There is always the "you have 1 hour & everything that is not in the right place goes on the trash" gimick. I do this but the items go in a trash bag & get put in the garage untill the room is clean then they get the stuff back.

How old are everyone's kids? Mine are 5 & 9.

 

[Guest]

I tried that trick Tab, and they didnt care. over half of the stuff is already gone. And the candy trick.. well they get candy from school, daycare etc.
:roll:
I even offered money.. and they wouldnt do it lol.

They are 11 and 7 years old.

 

[dragonfly princess]

My boys are 11 and 14

 

[Guest]

I would expect it from boys... I always thought little girls would be cleaner..

I should take a pic of the room to show you all... (if I computer would take the camera software :roll: )
I walk pass it.. and shut the door..

One day.. something is going to star growing in there.. I know it!

 

[Tabitha]

That's it, take a photo & black mail them. tell them you will take the photo to school/church/wherever & show all of their friends :shock:

 

[CPSoaper]

Cattle prods work wonders. One zap and they will be sure to tow the line. lol just joking of course.
My DD was always messier than my son but my son's room stunk more than my DD's. We never could figure that one out. It had the constant smell of dirty socks and musty ass. It was just nasty.


If you ever find an answer to this problem, there are gazillions of parents that will pay you big bucks to learn the secret.

 

[Tabitha]

Ewww CP!

 

[Guest]

Ewww CP!

Ewwwwww...

I wondered about the blackmailing, but friends have came over to spend the night.. and doesnt even bother the friends! :shock:

Whats the deal? If I come up with a solution. I will be rich!

 

[pepperi27]

Well I have a boy and girl 11 and 10. I have had stern talks with them LOL and sometimes it works. Maybe because my voice is deep and it scares them. The other thing I learned is, I take one aside usually my son and I ask him nicely to do something and I'll buy him a pack of cards. Then when he does what Ive asked of him, I go get the cards and in front of my daughter I say, "Michael mommy is so thankful that you listen so here is your reward!" That pisses off my daughter but by the end of the day her section is clean! I know that sounds mean but it works. And the few times I did it she asked me why are you being so nice to mike. I told her Im not he is just doing what I asked him to do. I also explained that if you want to use the computer and do fun things then you need to do some things for me. It took a while but now they help out without me asking! Another reward I do is when they clean and I dont ask them, I bake them cookies. Since I do not do it often they clean all the time, just in the hopes LOL

 

[Tabitha]

The computer thing does work for us as well.

No computer/TV/Video games/Handheld games untill it is done.

That is the only thing that works but my husband is a game junkie too so he sneaks off & games w/ them when I am not looking.... If he backs me up, it works.

 

[Guest]

True, maybe if i start getting really stricted. I remember one time I was crying, just so upset at them. I went into my room and was just so teary eyed. And my oldest went to clean the room. She says she doesnt like seeing me cry. It makes her feel bad.

But that was the only time I seen it cleaned, other than the time I cleaned it.

 

[Tabitha]

I have tried crying with my kids, LOL, I don't think thye are old enough for the guilt to work yet.

 

[CPSoaper]

Ewww CP!

You think it sounds gross, it was! lol I never could figure it out since his room was fairly clean - that is fairly clean compared to my DD's room. She had dirty clothes, dirty dishes and old food all over room. You'd have thought the dirty clothes and old food would have made her room smell worse, but it didn't. I think boys just go through a stage where they just smell. My sister said the same thing about her boys and girls.

Hey Smell, it is too late for me to have any use for the secret to getting them to keep their rooms clean but for now, you could try putting any of their stuff not put away in a box where they have to then "buy" it back. I remember when my parents tried that with me and my sister and it did seem to work for a time.

 

[pepperi27]

LOL that has happened to me as well. When they see me upset they go crazy cleaning everything in the room and the living room LOL

 

[Krickett]

Well our--my fiancee's kids--are 11 and 8 (in a few days) twins all girls. They have 2 bedrooms and when one gets dirty--which is everyday--they go into the other one and mess it up. Nothing seems to help to get them to clean then. Give them a time limit, they just go play and make it worse. Take things away from them, doesnt seem to bother them. I am at my wits end. My 2 kids are grown and for some reason I didnt seem to have as much trouble out of them cleaning their rooms when they were young. Oh well, such is life I guess. My next thing is to make them keep the door closed.
I wash and dry their clothes and usually fold them--sometimes I have them fold them--and they are suppose to put them away. Well to them putting them away means take them in the bedroom and toss them in a corner someplace. Then in a day or so I am rewashing clean clothes because they didnt want to put them away to begin with. Oh what to do?


Krickett

 

[IanT]

this worked with me (my mother was hardcore oldschool italian style)

You dont eat until your room is clean!/ You dont eat until your chores are done...

(this will institute a good work ethic too, because they know they need to earn their fill...

Or if you want to take it further, tell them your going to lock them in their room until they clean it (of course with bathroom access)

thats a powerful motivation (maslows heirarchy of the needs)...


either that or a nicer way would be to help them build a closet system that their clothes are all easily accessible (so they can see them) without having to pull them all out of the drawers.

 

[gallerygirl]

What I have had to do is a major purge of items and clothing to help my boys keep on top of their rooms. I mean a major purge. I also created a room in the basement that is their "entertainment" room. They keep their drums down there, they have a small TV with video and dvd player and their games. So their rooms strictly become a space to store their clothes and sleep in. I honestly don't check what the basement room looks like. They know and obey the no food and dishes outside the kitchen/dining room rule so I don't have to worry about dishes down there....I kind of figure that space is theirs and I would rather they have a mess down their then in their rooms. It is working for us so far. I don't have a lot to bargain with as we don't watch TV, at all....they only use the computer/internet for school. Good luck! k