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Picking up clothes


Lan
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How do I train ds8 plus dh to pick up their clothes and put them to the closets or to the hamper except hiring Jackie Chan to teach them a lesson like in Karate Kid?

 

Sometimes, especially a winter day when dh loves to wear layers of clothes and also loves to lay them around our house, I even fantacize myself throwing them away...

Edited by Lan
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You didn't say how old your dc was. Mine are still little, so every morning and every night, part of their chores is to look for clothes that need to go to the hamper. I don't read to them until they do it. They don't get time on the computer or TV without doing it.

 

I once heard of a wife nailing her dh's clothes to the floor where he dropped them. He he.

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The first thing on our evening chore chart is "Clean Your Room", which means there is to be nothing on the floor (clothes included) and everything needs to be put away. We start the chart at 730PM. Bedtime is at 8. If the chart's not done (aside from room cleaning, it includes brushing teeth, putting on PJs and picking out clothes for tomorrow), then there's no bedtime story.

 

This is a big motivator for my 5 year old daughter. Tonight there was no story and lots of tears. Guaranteed, the room will be clean tomorrow night.

 

You just need to find a motivator for your DS and DH. What punishment or reward do they get in exchange for choosing to pick up the clothes or not? Once you figure that out, smooth sailing.

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Thank you all for the tips. I added my son's age. He's already 8 and a big reader, so depriving bedtime stories won't affect him anymore. I should have trained him earlier...

 

Lots of good ideas. A chore chart sounds especially good. I can totally relate the lady who nailed her dh's clothes on the floor.:lol:

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I have this SAME problem with my family, except that my kids are still little enough to train well...but daddy is not a good example! I read somewhere that continually telling them to clean up after themselves will train their brains to depend on your cues. A chore chart would take your reminding them out of the equation...but then you usually have to instigate starting the chores on the chart. Vicious cycle!

 

I do LOVE the idea of letting the natural consequence motivate the change. If there isn't anything clean to wear, that could get yucky and stinky...one would have to put something in the hamper after a while. It would take some time until ALL the clean clothes were offensively stinky...but it would be worth the wait! I think I will try that with my dh, and continue training the little ones to form good habits.

 

It is harder as they get older, but I don't think it's true that you can't train an old dog to do new tricks. Those who think so just lack confidence and determination. :D My dh at 28 when he met me took on almost a whole new life as a result of us being together. Anything is possible! Consistency and a firm resolve is the key! If you don't believe it is possible, then it probably isn't.

 

Good luck!

Edited by marie33
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I have this SAME problem with my family, except that my kids are still little enough to train well...but daddy is not a good example! I read somewhere that continually telling them to clean up after themselves will train their brains to depend on your cues. A chore chart would take your reminding them out of the equation...but then you usually have to instigate starting the chores on the chart. Vicious cycle!

 

 

I am not sure that I agree with this. It is very desirable for little ones to respond to parental cues. At 2yo, I could not expect my daughter to do her chores by herself or even with a chore chart. I told her what to do, and she did it (most of the time, LOL!). At that age, it was absolutely vital that she learn to do things by following my cues. But by doing those things at the same time and in the same order each day, I was training her to eventually do them on her own. At 4yo, I had a list for her to refer to. Now that she is 5yo, she often does some of her chores without being told. But I still have to ask her what she has done and what more she has to do. But instead of asking about each individual task, I ask her to tell me what still needs to be done. Little by little, she is doing more and more without prompting.

 

I do LOVE the idea of letting the natural consequence motivate the change. If there isn't anything clean to wear, that could get yucky and stinky...one would have to put something in the hamper after a while. It would take some time until ALL the clean clothes were offensively stinky...but it would be worth the wait! I think I will try that with my dh, and continue training the little ones to form good habits.

 

 

:iagree:I also like natural consequences. But I know people that really don't care how stinky things get:tongue_smilie:, so I hope your dh is not one of those! But for the kids, it works quite well if there is no "fun" allowed until the clothes are in the hamper.

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But for the kids, it works quite well if there is no "fun" allowed until the clothes are in the hamper.

 

Ds8 isn't allowed to watch TV or play computer games anymore until none of his clothes are laying on the floor. It's been working well but occasionally I had to remind myself to stick to the rule.

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