When will or when did you stop cleaning your kids room?

**lucy979** · 01-25-2004, 02:27 AM

DD cannot keep her room clean yet. I still have to clean it for her. Although that shouldn't surprize me. My room was just as bad growing up! I didn't really learn to clean until I got married!

But I want dd to learn before that. How did you teach your kids to clean? When did they have to clean their rooms by themselves?

**dz_blonde_girl** · 01-25-2004, 09:51 AM

I think it depends on the kid. Ds, 11, cleans his own room. He's pretty independent after years of breaking it down into smaller tasks for him. I still go back and check to make sure everything isn't shoved under the bed, or in the closet. Dd, 2, likes to help pick up. She actually throws her own trash away! It will be interesting to see how this progresses. I try to involve my children in the daily chores. Dd "rinses" dishes, "sorts" laundry, and helps pick up her room. But, I really don't think any kid will do any work on their own unless they have to!

**Rhonda** · 01-25-2004, 11:40 AM

DD is 14 and does a pretty good job. DS will be 17 next week and it is like pulling teeth to get him to clean, do his laundry, etc... Is it just a teenage boy thing, or is it MY teenage boy??

**paelthom** · 01-25-2004, 11:57 AM

Ryan is not a clean room person. I have to help her clean it up. If I tell her to do it by herself, she just shoves everything into the closet or under the bed and says she's done. I hope she grows up and has a really well paying job so that she can hire a maid. I suspect I will have to help her until she's in college.

**lucy979** · 01-26-2004, 02:38 AM

LOL!! That's funny Pat! I will probably have to do that same thing with Baylie.

**Darlene** · 01-26-2004, 06:50 AM

Nicole's been doing hers for a long time because she likes everything just so & doesn't want me in her space.
Mark took a bit longer but when he was about 13 I showed him that yes he too could carry the vacuem up the stairs, plug it in & push it around.

He also didn't want to be embarassed when his friends came over. I guess I just said it's your responsibility and they rose to the occasion. If they had food and filth in there I would jump in but that never came to be.
They do spend most of their time in the living room so bedrooms don't get too messy.
Oh..also gave each there very own laundry basket & when the clothes needed washing they have to bring it on down or it won't get washed. Dd will do her own wash usually and Mark actually threw a load into the dryer yesterday without being asked then brought them upstairs after they were dry.

He made the mistake of saying I should just always automatically do the laundry etc because I'm a housewife. When I got done laughing, I told him I'm a mom too dear boy & it's my job to show you how to do certain things so you can make it on your own in the big world. Deal.

**MANDERS** · 02-07-2004, 04:02 PM

Lauren is 6 and cleans her room.She even makes her beds,she doesn't dust and vaccum because of her asthma.

I started with her when she started making messes(big ones).I think she was around 3.I would show her where her barbies go,dolls go etc.She has special tubs for everything so it makes it easy.She started helping me make her bed(and mine)when I was pregnant with ds because I couldn't bend over very well.

She helps her brother clean his room because they play in there most of the time.But I guess he has caught on because the other day i get out of the shower and his room is clean(Lauren was at school)

Just a word of advice,start early.my neighbors kids are 16 and18,the 16 yr old has a baby and both are worthless around the house.

**PrairieRose** · 02-08-2004, 03:52 PM

I started early with my 3 dk's. The 2 older ones were just slobby, although dd#1 could do a good job of cleaning when she wanted to. Dd#2 was always a clean freak and still is. Ds was a nightmare of a housekeeper....but he married a clean freak....it's funny now cuz I'll call and say what you guys doing....he says cleaning house in his most chipper voice..... . I sometimes die laughing.......!

There's no set time when they will "be able" to do it themselves I think Laci....it just really, really depends on the kid. I always made my kids do chores and help around the house but ds just never made much of an effort.....