Ask any parent, and they'll tell you it's near impossible to get children to clean up after themselves. We often yell at our kids to go and clean their rooms, only to be met with indifference, and a grumpy huff. While you can maintain a clean house, you might struggle with keeping your kid's room pristine.
If you find it difficult to convince your little ones to keep their rooms clean, start with baby steps: instill the responsibility in your kids as young as toddler age. That way, you can continue to teach your child the fundamentals of maintaining a house, even if they start with their areas.
10 Best Ways to Get Your Kid to Clean Their Own Room
Children are never too young to learn to clean their space. A child's room should be kept neat, organized, and clean - even if the reality is usually the opposite. Here are the 10 best ways to get your children cleaning their spaces at various stages of development.
Alternatively, it is never too late to show your child the responsibilities of cleaning. Learn how to communicate effectively, and to set an example for your child to understand the importance of cleaning their own space.
For Toddlers: Lead by Example
Toddlers tend to copy what their parents say and do, and they learn best by example. Take your kids with you when you clean up the mess in the kid's room, and show them from an early age that cleaning is a part of your responsibilities. Make it a fun, bonding experience for them so they can view cleaning as a necessity rather than a chore.
For Toddlers: Start Small
Toddlers are still working on their motor skills. What better way to nurture their motor skills, and get them to learn about cleaning than by getting them to do small, simple tasks? They can pick up and store their toys away, or "park" their walkers away from the middle of the hallway. Start with small tasks, and work your way to bigger ones. Toddlers can do a lot more than you think!
For Preschool Age: Let Them Help You Clean Kids' Rooms
Preschool age children have a lot of energy they need to burn. They are also much better in communicating and in motor skills than when they were toddlers, which makes them your perfect assistants when it comes to cleaning their areas! Let them help you with the dusting, storing, folding, or other light chores.
For Preschool Age: Turn Room Cleaning into a Game
If your little one has too much energy to burn, turn cleaning into a game! Play Red Light, Green Light as they attempt to keep as many toys as they can in their toybox, or race to see who can make their bed faster! Switch it up daily so your kids never get bored or tired of cleaning.
For School Age: Make a Checklist
School age children have to deal with both school life and home life. This is also the stage in their development where a cleaned space helps to instill good study habits as they free themselves from distractions through all the mess. Make a checklist of what they have to clean daily, weekly, and monthly to help them keep track of their chores.
For School Age: Color Code Cleaning
In addition to creating a checklist, color coding certain chores will help them identify these tasks immediately. For instance, mark their hampers with appropriate labels to separate clean clothes from soiled ones, or label each chore with a corresponding time to do it: red for daily, blue for weekly, green for monthly, and so on.
For Pre-teens: Create a Reward System for a Clean Room
The top three priorities for pre-teens are trends, friends, and fun. Cleaning up after themselves doesn't really fall into those categories. To keep your pre-teens positive about cleaning their spaces, incentivize them with a reward whenever they properly upkeep their space. Some extra allowance, a small snack, or a day off from other chores are attractive rewards for your pre-teens.
For Pre-teens: Introduce Shelves and Baskets
The pre-teen age is also when they gain a sense of self and ownership. Provide your pre-teens with shelves and baskets from the dollar store, where they can keep their belongings. Let them choose and organize their space, but guide them through the proper way of cleaning.
For Teens: Let Them Use the Vacuum and Other Appliances
The term 'dumb teens' is derogatory - teens can understand and gain a sense of responsibility more than we give them credit for! While you might be terrified with letting your teen use your appliances as they may break them, you need to guide them through the proper usage so they can conveniently use these to clean their spaces.
For Teens: Let Them Organize Themselves
All the clothes lying around may look disorganized to you, but to your teen, they have a reason for their jacket or sweater slumped over their study chair. A teen bedroom may tend to look messy, but let them organize their space themselves. They are capable of understanding and making their own decisions, just guide them to the proper ways to do so.
Keeping a Room Clean
If the child's area isn't your only problem when it comes to housekeeping, you may need professional assistance to help you with house chores, laundry, and other things around the home. Luce Home provides you with top quality house cleaning services to ensure your space is as pristine as it can be. Contact us today to book an appointment.
