Parents: Do you make your child...

[JerseyJanice]

I make mine put his stuff away and keep it organized. I have to nag him so much to do it, that it would probably be easier to do it myself, but I don't hear it when he can't find one of his video games or DVDs. If he's responsible for putting his own stuff away, then I don't have to deal with finding it.

I do all the dusting and vacuuming in there. In fact, I do all the dusting and vacuuming in the entire house and I hate it. If I didn't have a big scary watchdog, I would hire a cleaning service.

 

[kinntj]

Nope...I clean it for them. No complaints from the teacher either, so I'm guessing that's not a problem. If it was, the teacher should speak up.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We make our boys clean their rooms; sometimes I'll help them a little, if they're working on it, but I refuse to do it for them. There have been two times that they flat out refused to do it at all. The first time, DH bagged up everything that was in the floor and put in the basement, and they had to earn it back, one by one, by doing chores (I think it was 10 chores for 1 item). That worked for awhile, then the second time he bagged the stuff up and got rid of it.

We make them take their own dishes to the kitchen after dinner, scrape whatever is on the plate in the trash, and put them in the sink.

 

[nutterbutter2010]

My girls are 3 & 4. They don't spend much time in their rooms other than to sleep, so it doesn't really get messy. However, they think its great fun the "clean it up" when they feel like it. I wish they felt the same way about the mess they make in the living room!!!

 

[ZachnElli]

Yes, they have to clean their own rooms and more. I make them clean their shared bathroom too. I don't use it, don't see why I should clean it! DS 14 has toilet duty and it really has helped with his aim! They also have to help vaccuum and dust. Oh, DD's teacher complained about her messy desk!

 

[disykat]

I feel it's my kid's job to be kids so I would never make them do adult work.

Phew! That was fun. Now that I got that out of the way I'll join with everyone else and say of course they are expected to take care of their rooms and help around the house especially when it comes to messes THEY made. Obviously I've helped them at times with some of the big purges, and responsiblilties were added in an age appropriate fashion, but in general they were ALWAYS expected to clean up toys etc.

Messy desks don't surprise me - some people are just more messy -however, the inability to understand "clean up the mess you made" does. We had neighbor kids who would literally let wrappers drop to the floor etc. They didn't even have a notion of how garbage gets in the trash can. I had to teach them.

 

[HsvTeacher]

Awesome! I'm so happy to read that most parents make their children clean up after themselves. I also completely understand helping young children clean so that it gets done correctly. I like things somewhat neat and clutter-free, so there's no way that I could fault a parent for helping.

I have several students who cannot even walk around their desks at certain points of the day, because there's so much junk on the floor, and it doesn't seem to bother them. Then they look at me like I have three heads when I ask them to clean up their messes.

Thanks for the responses!

 

[PaulaSue]

Former Nanny and PS teacher/helper here. Yes my kids clean up since they could walk. NOW they need reminded a few times but can do it pretty well. Make the bed from scratch and sort and help with wash. They are 11, 8 and 6.

My Middle DD was complimented at the first day of K since she was the only one who could roll her towel and put it away after nap.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I did babysitting for many years, and sadly, most kids never cleaned up after themselves. The families I babysat were on the affulent side (or lived like they were), and the parents never enforced or encouraged the kids to clean. The parents almost didn't want to since it was "beneath them" - the kids were too important to waste their time cleaning. But I had to clean. When I babysat, you better believe the parents expected ME to clean up every last toy, pencil, crumb etc. while the kids never helpled. The message the parents want the kids to have? Cleaning is done by hired help. The babysitter or the cleaning ladies does ALL the cleaning, not them.

It got to the point where I wouldn't even bother trying to make the kids clean. I would get criticized by the parents if they would notice any object left out (toy, dishes, etc) - so it was quicker and easier just for me to do it. So I would let the kids watch lots of TV so they would stay out of my way.

Just blows my mind that the parents assume the kids will always have hired help handly through life to do the cleaning.

 

[Crystal0608]

Yes, since they were toddlers. Mine are in 2nd and 4th grade and as they get older they get more tasks. Basically, if they mess it up, they clean it up. DH and I are both similar as we are neat freaks and like everything clean and in its place. Luckily, the kids usually know what has to be done and we don't have to stay on them except with laundry.

Here are their daily chores:
Beds HAVE to be made in the morning before we leave for school.
Toys get picked up when they aren't played with.
Fold/hang up their own laundry.
Put dishes in sink after eating w/o food in them.
Wipe down kitchen table after eating and sweep if mess is made on floor.
Kitty litter duty-we all take turns, so once every 4 days-chore we all dislike, lol.
Vacuuming- every couple days ds does it, he actually likes it.

 

[ktink]

Yes. They need to learn responsibilites. My DDs are now 14 & 8 they chores and earn an allowance. However, cleaning up after themselves is not a payable chore, it's being curtious to the others in the family.

 

[remyandhollandsmommy]

We have a rule in our house that you are responsible for your own room. That means if you invite your sister in to your room to play YOU are still responsible for cleaning up any messes made. Needless to say the girls like to go OUTSIDE to play alot lol. Also they have to clean their own bathroom. Holly (5) picks up any clothes or trash in there and Remy (11) is responsible for "chemical cleaning" which means using the clorox to clean the sink, tub, and toilet..she also sweeps their floor if needed since Holly is too short to use the broom though Holly does hold the dustpan lol.

The ONLY thing I do to their rooms is hang Holly's clothes up or hand Remy a basket of her folded clothes to put away and that is only cause I like it done a certain way..otherwise I don't go in there to clean at all.

Oh and this is done everyday by 7pm so that they wake up to a clean room.

 

[rparmfamily]

I have always made my kids clean up after themselves. Now at 9 and 7, I swear it's harder to get them to do it but they do. My 7 yr old cleans up his room,etc very good it's my 9yr old DD who is always the issue. Her desk at school is a pigpen. Her room is a pigpen too, scraps of paper,etc everywhere. I make her clean and she just sits in her room and sobs. I won't let her leave her room except to eat and do homework until her room is cleaned up. I've taken stuff away, and somehow she still pigs it up. I don't even know where the junk/paper scraps come from!!!! She is also my kid who comes home from school filthy, her hands have marker all over them, her face is dirty, her hair messy. She has always been like that. Her hygiene is fine, she showers/washes hair,etc everyday, but during the day I have no idea but she just gets filthy.

I think some kids are like that honestly...it's always been a HUGE battle with her, at school and home. My son isn't that way at all.

 

[ORMom2Four]

Not only do all of my kids clean their own bedrooms, they have regular, daily chores around the house.

Even with the chores & responsibilities , they STILL don't pick up after themselves very well