All week I’ve been warning the kids that Friday I would be vacuuming their room. It had been a couple weeks and it was just time. Now the warning was for a good reason – they needed to clean up their room so I could reach the carpet.
Today happens to be Friday – ‘Vacuum the Upstairs Day.’ So, I gave the kids their warning this morning as I sat down to do the bills. I gave them another warning as I started to vacuum the other rooms. I gave them yet another warning as I mopped the bathroom floors and wood floors. All through these warnings I heard, “Okay, Mom” as they ran around, jumping on beds, and playing. I decided not to get mad. When everything else was done BUT their room, I casually walked in with a garbage bag as they continued to play. I quietly picked up toys, hangers, clothes, shoes, etc. As soon as I was spotted there were mixed reactions. Hannah started helping me put items in the bag – things she decided she didn’t want anymore that weren’t worth her effort. Caleb sat in the middle of the floor and cried a flood of tears (rather than scrambling around picking up whatever he didn’t want to end up in the trash bag). Emma stood defiantly in the middle of the floor (minding it’s not even her room) declaring the more I threw away the more they didn’t want to clean up (hmm, backwards logic I think). Perhaps you are thinking I am truly a slave driver as I should have been in there helping them clean up. I have done that a numerous amount of times with the result being me cleaning up while they jump on beds and play. They are old enough to be responsible for their own things now I would think.
So, here is the result of my cleaning up in their room this morning (obviously I’m not throwing these things away, I just don’t know how I’ll give it all back – perhaps earning some things back every so often):
Now I turn to you – what do you do with your children that work for them to clean up their rooms? Am I really a slave driver?
i had a friend who had several bags of clothes from her teenage daughter who did the same thing. she had to earn them back by keeping her room clean for one full week. one week of clean bedroom floors = one bag. …. as for you … smart mom. way to go.
I’m absolutely not at that point in my kid’s life. I’m just grateful that Ellie likes to clean up and frankly, I don’t like her helping too much, because it’s not very helpful. But I think you did the right thing. They’re old enough to help out and know how to clean up. Props to you.
Actually, that all sounds just like our house, minus me not getting mad. I have bagged so many things in the last year. They actually end up forgetting what is in the bags, so I go through them later, decide what I want them to keep and then get rid of the rest. Later on they might recall something that was taken away in the bag wondering where it is now, so I tell them I got rid of it. That is a little motivator to keep things clean. Also, I have taken the last couple of months to really purge through their stuff and got rid of a lot. It seems to have worked- for now. Every night they are reminded that they cannot leave the room the next morning until it is cleaned up. (If I have them do it at night, they end up staying up way past bedtime.) that way if they want breakfast, their room has to be in order.
My Emma is a bit young to clean up, but I think it’s a GREAT idea! Definitely one I’m going to borrow from you in a couple of years.
i love it!!! and good for you, becca… you are definetly NOT a slave driver! yesterday joe had elle stay home from school (a huge punishment for her since she absolutely LOVES school) to do chores all day as a consequence for not listening. we’ve been working with her on it forever and nothing has helped. i swear i have to tell that girl 10 times before she actually hears me….. we’ll see if it helped at all…. sometimes you’ve just got to fing where it hurts to inspire action 😉
growing up my mom had what she called the “rainbow bag” -a colorful, oversized bag that she would gather toys, clothes, and whatever else she would find lying around the house. in order to get an item out we had to do a chore… it was ongoing and we hated it. but it did work.
Great idea! I will have to do that. My kids never listen either when it comes to picking up. And their rooms are small and it is so easy to put things away. Plus I am frequently picking up their rooms throughout the day so there isn’t much at night. I am going to try this. I love it. I think the chore idea to get items out is great.
This is a hoot! Gordon’s parents used to do the same thing. They called it the “gunny sack.” The kids had to earn back their stuff by being neat. We’ve done it a few times, (well, we’ve panicked them into cleaning up a few times) and it’s been successful. Maybe next time you can say, “okay, I’m getting the gunny sack!” and they’ll spring into action! Good luck!
Funny you should mention this…I just did this exact thing with my boys. I gave them DAYS of warnings to clean their room. They usually get to it but not this time. It was bad. Really bad. I’ve never seen it so messy! So the deadline came and I boxed up everything and out it went to the garage. They will have to earn their things back by keeping their room clean (which isn’t very hard now that there aren’t any toys in it…but they still manage to make a mess with books and clothes.) and doing other chores. Hopefully they’ll realize I’m serious next time! And in the mean time…I’m REALLY liking the “no toys” thing! Even my family room stays cleaner! Who needs toys anyway? I mean really….
I seem to remember doing this a couple times when you and your siblings were about this age.