So.. Do you make your kids clean their room?

[MrsBone]

My son is almost four. Is it too early to make him start cleaning his room? I will go in there on e a week or so and make his bed and help him clean his room but it doesn't seem like a big deal to me if his room is t clean everyday. I mean, it's his room. Should I care a lot a out how clean it is on a daily basis? Lol

[gonyere]

My boys don't really 'clean there room' yet (they're 5.5 & 3), but they do help pick up - both in their room and throughout the house, usually in the evenings as bribery to watch tv or a movie...

[~cassie]

Yes I do.  I think it shows respect for your things and frankly I don't want to step on a million legos(those things hurt!).  My kids share a room.  They are expected to pick the stuff up off the floor and put up when done, every day.  The 4 yr old isn't a big help(but my other kids at 4 were big helpers).  I do help them and make it fun but they are a part of the family and I don't have the time or energy to go in there all the time cleaning behind them,  I also make the 4 yr old fold towels and do other chores lol.

[34me]

Yes. My teen boys share a room and if I don't some of their clothes start to walk ..and the smell.....

[pbjmama]

I don't. My kids are 4 and 6, share a room and their room is only for clothing, a sitting/reading area and sleeping. They do have a play room that they clean with help occasionally.

[IdentityCrisisMama]

I never made my DC clean her room and for some reason she always did it - even at 4. What I did was kept the clutter minimal, organized and tried to keep it pretty clean. Really early on she just got with the program that her room should be clean. 11 years later and her room is always clean. I suppose I did tend to "disappear" things that were a real pain to clean so maybe that was some incentive.   Or maybe it has nothing to do with me and it's just her thing. I donno. 

[limabean]

Yep, my kids clean their rooms. I make it easy by making sure they don't have too much stuff, and have a spot for everything to go (those stacked bin-shelf things are awesome for this). So when I say, "Clean your rooms," they know that means to put toys in the bins, books on the shelf, laundry in the hamper, and make the bed.

Up until very recently, I always helped DD (age 4.5) with her room, but about a month ago I was busy with something else while she cleaned, and she did a terrific job, so now she just does it on her own and does great! 

They only do a proper cleaning like that maybe once every two weeks though, although I do have them do a smaller sweep every evening to make sure there's at least a clear path to their bed so that DH and I don't hurt ourselves stepping on Legos and the like (ouch!). 

[kayleesmom]

my older 2 do but my 3 yr old just toys. and put stuff in laundry bucket.
Edited by kayleesmom - 10/16/12 at 12:09pm

[Mittsy]

DD(7.5) likes to clean her room, I've even had friends say what a delight it is having her play at their houses because she will clean their kids room. DS doesn't really care although he will sometimes clean if asked. I usually invite my kids to help me clean their room once weekly, but if they refuse I just pick it up quickly and it's no big deal. I figure it's their room and they can figure out the level of cleanliness that works for them. Their room hasn't gotten too bad really so I figure they must have worked up a pretty good system.

[mamalisa]

Yep.  If you want to have have friends over your room must be clean.  If you want clean clothes, they need to be in the hamper.  If you want to be able to find your "stuff" it needs to be put where it belongs.  We have certain toys that stay out (like a Lego or Barbie set up) that doesn't have to be put away at night, but everything else needs to be picked up.  I'm kind of a hard ass about keeping the house picked up.

[Mylie]

Yes I do..She just turned 5 and has been capable of picking up after herself for sometime..If I let it go then it would get to the stage where it would be overwhelming and then she would just sit and cry..If I see that something is frustrating her like a big pile of legos I might put some fun into it..A race or something like that...I also have her "help" me make and straighten her bed...In a few years she should be able to do this task herself...I have always felt that if you start teaching them (within reason of course)when they are young it works better in the long run...I do help her if she becomes overwhelmed though...I don't make it a battle..Just an everyday chore that must be done just like I make my bed and I do the dishes..Kids get it even at a young age...

[mamazee]

I would start getting him into the habit of cleaning his room every night before bed. Give extra time and then go in and help him at first, but he will most likely eventually get used to everything being neat and cleaning up after himself if it is done very very very consistently. Like every single night without fail.

[meemee]

well at 4 it isnt about clean the room, its about helping mommy pick up the clutter. in fact i made it a game so i think dd got used to picking up from 3 i think. or even earlier. i cant remember. it is a skill set i wanted to encourage where you do it automatically. 

its a good idea to do it in a structured form. like regularly. as they grow older and they can follow directions independently, i made sure their room v. rarely got trashed. because once it got trashed it was very difficult for dd to clean it. she'd see all the stuff and would be VERY overwhelmed. then i'd have to guide of what and when to do it. it no longer was 'go clean your room', but first go pick up your books. when she has done that then i tell her ok go pick up all your art materials - pencils, markers, etc. 

this is for your future use. but its important to not allow things to get really bad. 

[SunRise]

Maybe this is for younger children, but at 10, my son is reminded every few days up to a week, to sort through his clothes that are strewn on the ground. Some how he can't get his dirty clothes into the hamper anymore - he used to be careful about that!  And the used once, but not dirty clothes, he stuffs back into his dresser (he used to fold them - whats happened here??).  Other then clothes, his room is tidy.  Occasionally I sort through his dresser, putting shirts back in the shirt drawer, shorts in the short drawer etc.

Scattered toys were never an issue. I do the vacuuming and dusting.

[OkiMom]

All my children (well except the newborn) is expected to help keep their room and playroom clean as well as do chores around the house. They live here so they can help keep it clean.

[spughy]

I would much rather my DD cleared up her stuff from the living room than kept her room tidy.  Unfortunately, she's prone to cleaning her room to the state that she likes, but leaving art supplies and clothes and plates and whatnot scattered about the living room.

It's hard to really get down on her for it since her father does exactly the same thing :-( Only substitute "tools" for "art supplies".  Sigh.

At least DD DOES tend to keep her room moderately tidy.  I think it depends on your family and what your child sees as normal in terms of tidiness.

[SweetSilver]

I'm torn between wanting to post my thoughts and not because right now our family is in one bedroom.

For now, toys are in the living spaces, not the bedroom.  I decided this a long time ago, remembering the torture that was cleaning my bedroom as a kid.  (This is not a "rule", it has simply been our habit since my first daughter was old enough for toys, 7 yo.)

Dirty clothes need to come out of the bedroom.

No dishes in the bedroom beyond water glasses.

We need to be able to find shoes, etc. so when we need those things where we can find them.

Don't fuss to me about finding the stuff you refuse to put away.

Games set up in pathways are going to be cleared ASAP.  I have been known to use the broom.  

I have a higher tolerance for untidiness, though not for outright dirtiness.  If I can operate in a space, we aren't forever looking for things, (or *finding* things! ) I'm OK with it.

[meemee]

Originally Posted by SweetSilver 

I'm torn between wanting to post my thoughts and not because right now our family is in one bedroom.

i am curious to read what they are.

 (This is not a "rule", it has simply been our habit since my first daughter was old enough for toys, 7 yo.)

i so agree with you right here. that has really REALLY helped.

I have a higher tolerance for untidiness, though not for outright dirtiness.  If I can operate in a space, we aren't forever looking for things, (or *finding* things! ) I'm OK with it.

me too :)

one of the things i have found is if i have a place for everything it really helps for them to be organized better. for instance i have a dirty laundry basket in the bedroom and bathroom. makes it easier on dd.

also i found i need to allow her to 'fail' sometimes. that means when she is in a hurry to run out the door, i pick up her wet towels and dirty laundry instead of making her do it. 

[SweetSilver]

meemee, those were my thoughts.  I hesitated sharing before because my girls do not have their own rooms to keep clean yet.

[IdentityCrisisMama]

Originally Posted by spughy 

I would much rather my DD cleared up her stuff from the living room than kept her room tidy.  Unfortunately, she's prone to cleaning her room to the state that she likes, but leaving art supplies and clothes and plates and whatnot scattered about the living room.

Ha! We have this issue at home too. DC keeps her room FAR neater than her standards for the rest of the house. Most days, I'm just happy to have a kid with a clean room but other days we have talks about her doing a better job with the rest of the house. But, part of why I don't come down on her for that is because we ALL tend to leave the rest of the house pretty messy. Sometimes I'm tempted to gripe about the number of DC (or DH's) shoes in the living room...till I do a count and realize that I've got a few pairs of my own.