Your Child's Room

Growing children keep messy rooms. Your child's room is probably no different.

Both boys and girls are equally messy, but (when they reach a certain age) boys are--by far--the "smelliest". Testosterone and sports are a lethal mix, in terms of "aroma".

Keeping your kids' rooms neat is more than a notion. That's why we (mothers) welcome hints and suggestions that will help us inspire our kids to "love" keeping their space clean.

Things to consider

1. Remind your kids that 5 or 10 minutes of effort a day will keep their rooms in pretty good shape. (If they save all their straightening up for Saturday, it will take most of their day...and they will certainly "groan and complain" about that).
2. Modify children's rooms so that they can help maintain them. (Supply child-sized features, such as a low dresser with nonstick drawers and a closet with hangers and hooks at a child's height).
3. Once you've helped put a child's room together, the room and the objects in it "belong" to the child. (If you take over too much responsibility for keeping it neat, the child will feel the room belongs to you an not to him [or her], and may not take care of it).

A child as young as 6 can at least "spread up" a bed--it doesn't have to be perfect! Using comforters or quilts on beds will make the job a lot easier.

Ideally, older children's rooms (especially those belonging to adolescents) should be off-limits to any adult interference. Unless the room has reached a level of messiness that threatens to infect the rest of the house, the best policy is hands-off. I know...the thought of that is a bit scary.

You can find some great house cleaning lessons for kids here, as well.

Tip

Link what you "buy" your child to how well he or she maintains their room. (Instead of just buying a pair of sneakers, make it a condition/reward for consistently keeping a neat room).

Making a "clean room" the condition for which kids get "things they want" actually trains them in housekeeping, without them knowing it. In this instance, housekeeping isn't the focus; the new sneakers is the focus.

Once kids enjoy consistent comforts and pleasantries of a clean space, they grow accustomed to it and "would have it no other way."