Kids love to play. They love to let their imaginations run wild, get creative and often leave a whirlwind of chaos in their wake. While having fun is not an issue, inspiring your children to keep their rooms tidy and help around the house can be a chore.
Tidying up is an essential life skill. It helps you to understand your environment better, encourages cleanliness in other areas of life and is fundamental to your child's development. But how do you keep your kids motivated? Read on to find out more:
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A helping hand
Sometimes the best medicine for lack of motivation is to give a helping hand. While you shouldn't take over and clean on your child's behalf, simply having you there to support them as they tidy will do wonders.
The more collaborative a task, the more willing your kids will be to get involved. As your child gets more used to the routine, you can begin to slacken off the amount of help you give. This will not only let them embrace responsibility for their room but also encourage their independence.
Delegate specific tasks
We all know how overwhelming and tedious tidying up can be, so try to think about it from your child's perspective! Instead of going full swing, delegate age-appropriate tasks to your children. The more specific you are, the better they will understand the expectations related to the task.
Say goodbye to your clutter for good
Letting go of stuff is no small feat. We attach sentiment to our belongings, we hold on to things just in case, and when it comes to getting rid of them, you're either all in or squirrel them away for another day.
So why not ask for help? Get the whole family involved, your mum, your friends, whatever it takes. You'll feel more motivated, and so will your kids if there is a feeling of support and camaraderie during the big clean.
If you feel like you've bitten off more than you can chew or simply don't want to waste time, get in touch with your local London rubbish removal company. They will take care of the whole removal process from clearance to donations and recycling. Plus, you won't have to wait for hours in the recycling centre clue!
Good tidying = rewards
There is nothing more exciting than a rewards chart! Your kid gets to watch their progress and feel praised for their efforts with each sticker they get. The feeling of accomplishment will show, and you'll be amazed at how inspired to tidy they suddenly become!
If they get so many stickers, stars, pom-poms, you name it; they win a prize for their efforts. This could be 10 stickers gets you a badge, 50 a book, or 100 a day out of their choice.
Older children and teens may be enticed by added screen time, a bonus night out with their friends or one-on-one time with you!
Make tidying up accessible
Are you fed up with your child dumping their coat on the floor by the rack? Or tripping over their toys each day? Ask yourself: can they access the tidy-up areas? Can they reach the peg on the wall for their coat or have enough space to store their toys?
Giving your child dedicated spaces for their toys, such as boxes or drawers, will instantly make a difference. In the beginning, you may need to tidy up with them, so they get the idea, but once they get the hang of it, lessen the amount of help you give.
You may notice after a while that they adopt their own way of clearing away their toys. It may not be a system that works logically, but if it works for them, let them go for it.
Likewise, if your child can't reach the coat hook, they have no reasonable option other than to leave it lower down. So adapt the area. Make sure they can reach!
Be consistent
Kids love to push your buttons and every boundary they possibly can. But instead of reacting to their behaviour, stick to your rules and boundaries and show them that consistency is the only thing that works.
No big jobs
While your expectations need to be clear, giving your kid too much to handle will put them off from cleaning. So stay small. While their room should be their responsibility overall, other tasks around the house are equally important.
Vacuuming, mopping, putting away the dishes, and putting clothes in the laundry are all simple tasks. While your toddler might not be up to some of the tasks, they can certainly play match-up with the socks!
Older kids and teens can up the ante by washing up and putting the laundry in the wash.
Make it fun
Tidying up doesn't have to be boring. Get the cleaning party started, blast out your favourite tunes and get dancing!
Get creative and get the kids motivated with some games. You might want to try:
- A household treasure hunt: they round up items that have gone missing or dirty clothes
- Clean your room contest: who can do it the quickest?
- Toy dash: 5 minutes on the clock to put away all your toys - who will win?
Once you're all done, let the winner pick a film for movie night or let them choose your next family day out.
A team effort
No one is in it alone. Everyone in the house has responsibility for keeping it clean and tidy so that you're all less stressed and your home stays fresh.
Talk about why tidying up is so important: how it makes you happy when you're not surrounded by clutter and how it can help you later on in life.
Inspiration may be hard to come by when it comes to tidying up, but with the proper support and motivation, you'll notice a difference in your home before you know it! Don't forget; you're all in it together!
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