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Teaching Your Child to Clean!
Copyright © 2004, Pamela Cole Harris Home and
Garden Makeover
When you call 911 because there is a distinct and suspicious odor in the
neighborhood and the culprit turns out to be two pairs of sneakers, three pairs
of underwear and a dozen or more hotdog remnants of unknown origin and vintage
found under your child's bed, it's past time to get your child's room organized!
When your child has gotten lost for hours in the mounds of clutter trying to
find his way from the bed to the door, it's past time to teach your child to
organize himself! But if you haven't reached that stage yet, there is still
hope!
Here are some tips to help you teach your children neatness and
organization:
1. Your child learns by example. If the only clear area of your home is the
path from the sofa to the television to the refrigerator and back, then it's
time to commit to organizing your home! Make the process a family project so
that your children can learn that everyone must pitch in to keep the home tidy.
2. Establish a routine and stick with it! Teach your child that beds are made
and toys are picked up every day. It is easier for a child to clean a room a
little every day, rather than be faced with a huge mess all at once.
3. Provide
plenty of storage - shelves, plastic storage containers, hampers, etc. Create a
special storage area out of a plastic storage unit made for storing garden
tools. Attach laundry bags in colorful colors to the hooks meant for rakes and
shovels. Spray paint the unit in a cheerful color to match the room. Voila! A
fun storage area!
4. Reward your child's cleaning and organizing efforts with
fun! Make a checklist of tasks with a reward when the tasks are completed such
as permission to watch a favorite show, time to play a favorite computer game, a
special story time with you or staying up an hour past bedtime. Simple rewards
such as these will provide an incentive to keep up the good work! Make a game of
cleaning! This works especially well with young children. A game of "Pick Up" to
see which of you can pick up more clothes within a certain time limit or a game
of "Hide the Clothes in the Hamper" will make cleaning more fun!
5. Be specific.
Telling a child to "clean that room" can set the stage for failure and
frustration. The task may seem overwhelming! But telling your child to pick up
the clothes which are on the floor allows your child to focus in on a specific,
achievable task.
6. Limit the amount of "stuff" your child has. Once a month, go
through your child's room together and give toys and clothes that have been
outgrown and are no longer needed to those less fortunate. Not only will your
child's room stay cleaner, but they will learn a valuable lesson in sharing and
giving.
Although you may think it inevitable, the process of keeping your
child's bedroom clean need not be a war! If you are consistent with the rules,
your child will learn what is expected and do it (eventually!). If you are
inconsistent, you have already lost the battle! Better stock up on flashlights
and compasses in case you need to find your way to their closet!
Pamela Cole
Harris has been a writer and decorator for thirty-five years (YIKES! Has it been
that long?). She is the author of "Home and Garden Design Tips", a free weekly
syndicated home and garden content service for your website. Get the code at
http://www.homeandgardenmakeover.com/content_syndication.html. And while you
are there, sign up for her monthly newsletter! And visit her other sites at
http://www.pajamabusinesses.com and
http://www.thewellfedtraveler.com.
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