Parents: Do you make your child...

[HsvTeacher]

clean his/her own bedroom?

I'm a 2nd grade teacher, and as the years go on, I'm noticing more and more students are not cleaning up after themselves. For instance, yesterday several students left scissors, glue sticks, pencils, etc. on the floor. I asked the students to clean around their desks, and some of them simply did not pick up their own mess. If they drop something on the floor, they leave it instead of picking it up. (This is a daily thing in my classroom, as well as the other 2nd grade room.) Of course we had a discussion about personal responsibility, and several of my students said that their parents clean their bedrooms for them.

I've also noticed more and more Facebook friends with young children posting that they have to clean their child's bedroom. Then comes the "I don't know why I do it, because I will have to clean it again tomorrow after my child destroys it again" posts.

So, do you make your child clean their own bedroom, or do you do it for them?

[dismom2005]

I admit it's 50/50...sometimes the effort it takes to get the kids to clean up after themselves all the time is not worth the struggle, but i'm sure it'll teach a better lesson to have them do it themselves. Thanks for the reminder.

[MELSMICE]

From the time my DD's were able to know what it meant to help clean up they have been doing that to their best ability. Of course, when they were in 2nd grade I'm sure I helped them or guided them somewhat, but they were responsible for keeping their rooms clean. They are now 20, 17 & 17.

They have always been responsible for making their beds before school & keeping their rooms tidy.

I do have to say though, I'm sure like anyone else, if they can get away with not doing it, then they would (or do). The two 17 year olds (seniors) had neater rooms when they were younger than they do now. I try not to nag them too much because I feel it's their space & next year if they decide to go away to college I'll be wishing I was walking past a "lived in" room.

Anyway, in answer to your question - yes, my children have always been responsible for their rooms & cleaning up after themselves.

[DisneyMomx7]

Yes - I'm the mean mother who always made them clean their rooms and make their beds every morning before school. Now they are a little older (12, 10 and 9) so they can basically do everything themselves.

When they first started I would stay and help them get organized - telling them pick up A and put it away, helping them organize closets etc.

[golfgal]

HECK YES, they started helping me clean as soon as they were mobile enough to pick something up and carry it. I know our kids' kindergarten teacher made the comment that she could tell on the first day of school kids that had jobs to do around the house and those that didn't. The kids with jobs around the house automatically picked up their snack dishes and put them away or put their things away when it was time to move to the next activity. Those that didn't would just get up and leave their stuff there. It is pretty sad that kids aren't expected to do anything around the house.

I am always amazed at posts here where someone will say "I am thinking my 9 year old needs some chores" By 9 my kids were cleaning their own bathrooms and doing all the dishes after dinner and a lot of other things too.

[ilovejack02]

DS7 is responsible for picking up his room. He prob manages to get the floor completely clean twice a week .
He makes his bed also, I started teaching him how to do it at 3 and he is pretty good at it now.
For the real cleaning of course I do it. I dust and throw stuff away and resort his toys if they get mixed up.
He is getting much better at keeping things separated now though.

[jeepgirl30]

My husband has a lot of OCD tendencies. He is undiagonised but I have no question he fits.

He is constantly making my DD9 go back and clean her room, every morning and every evening. He inspects the room, checks under the bed, the closet, etc.

A lot of times I will go in after her and pick up a thing or two or help fix her bed. She does need to be responsible for picking up her things but he is also way over the top and she is 9. She is a pack rat! She has bags and bags of stuff she keeps so it gets difficult. DS7 on the other hand, he keeps his room very kept up. He makes his bed and puts his clothes away and that is that!

We do make them pick up their toys as well. One rule has always been clean up one room before making a mess in another.

[Pixiedust34]

Yes. They keep their rooms (somewhat ) tidy, make their beds every day, and change the sheets when needed. They also vacuum their carpets and dust their furniture as needed. My kids are 13 and 11.

My ds is a neat freak and almost never has to be told to clean anything. My dd needs some nudges to keep things in order now and then. : ) They are responsible for maintaining their bedrooms.

[Wall-E1]

I try . I really do. Sometimes though, it just becomes too much to try to win that battle.

[cajunmommy]

As with posters above, my two started early. Somewhere around 3 or 4 they had responsibilities at day care - returning chairs back under the table, clearing away lunch dishes, putting away toys when they were done, etc.

The same expectations were held at home. I actually had someone ask how we kept our den area so "clean". Easy - anything taken out gets put away before bedtime (unless it's some huge train track / building project that is in progress).

I can tell when DS8 has big plans for the day. He usually up, dressed, & bed made before he comes out of his room for Saturday a.m. cartoons! I've heard him remark to friends that he can't come out to play until his "chores" are done!

Those "chores" include making sure everything is his bedroom is put away. So, the answer to the OP's question is "yes".

[carj]

I make them pick up their rooms every day if we are home, but more like 2 times a week during the school year because they don't get that messy.

We put Roomba in there and that takes care of the floors. I pretty much let them take care of it but about 2-3 times a year, we will do a major declutter fest and I have to help with that.

Today the cousins are over. Before we go to lunch, I will make my kids pick up their rooms. That means put away the toys and books and make the bed.

If we were having a party, that wouldn't be clean enough, and I would probably help them.

[JVL1018]

My kids are in 2nd and 4th grade and I make them clean their own rooms. My son's gets extremely messy quickly(Legos..) and sometimes he gets overwhelmed so I will go in and make his bed for him-it helps to have one clean spot/surface in the room to be able to sort things on.
Other than that I make him do the bulk of it, with me coming in and pointing out what to do next if he starts to play as he's cleaning.

It feels like a losing battle, just the nature of his toys to be spread out all over the place, but every Saturday is clean your room day.
Doesn't have to be perfect, but at least push the built Legos models against the wall and put most of the pieces in the bin.

He's a cleaner-upper at school though. As with everything he's better there than at home. LOL

[ncmickeyluvr]

My children have always been responsible for their own things. When they were very little...2 or 3...we just played the "clean up game" with their toys. From the ages of 4-5, they had to pick up any toys that they played with but we cleaned their rooms together. They knew that I would stay in there and help as long as they were also cleaning and not just playing. Now they are totally responsible. We TRY to do make sure that everything is picked up before bed, but more and more it's becoming a weekend cleaning. I will help with dusting...ds is allergic to dust/ dust mits..and sheets.

[Villain-lover]

DEFINITELY!!! My twins just turned Two, and I definitely have them help me with clean up! Basically since they could walk we have sung the clean up song and I was happy if theyput one thing away! There are times when I have had to take thier hands and show them what to clean up, but the really do try to help, even though right now I do most of the work! They need to know that it's just not safe to have every toy out and we have to pick up every so often!

[NikitaZee]

I confess - I'm one who 'helps' the kids clean. I'll go in and tell them it's time to clean up, and we all start cleaning. I probably do more than they do. My husband fusses at me daily about this - he feels that the kids need to clean their own rooms - with minimal or no help from me. I know he's right. I'm a neat freak and I like things a certain way, but I know the time has come to just let it go and let them do it - even if it's not as clean as it would be if I did it myself. They'll never learn otherwise, I know!