Someone tell me this is worth it

[Aspasia]

I get so tired of fighting my kids to do their chores. They're actually not too bad with most things--they unload the dishwasher together, gather all the trash from the bathrooms, pick up the family room, put away laundry, etc. Usually without complaint. But oh, the playroom. I hate that stupid room. Every. Single. Day. I believe that this battle I'm fighting should pay off in the long run, but sometimes I would rather just clean it myself. So much easier!

 

I just need a reminder. Anybody whose children turned out wonderful, responsible hard workers because they stuck it out on the chore front? Even just average responsible would be okay. ;)

[Dandelion]

In my experience, playrooms get out of control when there's too much stuff.  

 

I'm facing that reality with our family room (which doubles as our playroom) right now.  Not only is it impossible to keep it picked up, but I think it's overwhelming to the kids too - and they end up playing in it less when there are too many toys around.  For us, the solution seems to be to cull the toys.  Less stuff = less clutter = easier to keep clean.   I really ought to go do something about that today.   :p  

 

ETA: Sorry, that really didn't answer your question.  But thanks for posting so I could think through my own playroom issues. 

[Whereneverever]

I absolutely am in the stick it out camp. Is it possible there's too much stuff in there for them? Are they overwhelmed?

I'd scale it back to the point they can with direction clean it completely in half an hour. If they can't or won't clean it, there's too much stuff in there.

[Catwoman]

No advice here, except to echo Dandelion's post about "too much stuff."

 

We have way too much, too. I need to get a big donation together this week. (I have been saying that for the past month, but I really need to get moving on it while people are still shopping for Christmas gifts in the local thrift shops.)

[bolt.]

Screen time only happens when the 'kids stuff' is tidy... Works for us.

[Aspasia]

There probably is too much stuff. It gets overwhelming, but that's why awhile ago I instituted a rule that they needed to pick it up before every meal. Unless they're in the middle of building something elaborate, it needs to be picked up. The problem is, if we miss just one day (if we're in a hurry for whatever reason), it becomes overwhelming and then the battle ensues. The other problem is that they like to dump the toys out of their bins so they can use the bins to build things. This drives me insane,and I have explained to them over and over that it makes clean up time extra hard. And then they do it again.

 

I probably need to do the toy rotation thing. I just don't want to because I love my organized set-up in there! We'd have a lot of empty shelves if I removed half the toys. If only they would respect the system!

[J-rap]

I had five children and our play area would often become complete chaos.  It wasn't always because of too much stuff, but because of too many children!  haha  I found that the best way for them to keep it clean was to keep the clean-up and organization as simple as possible.  That might mean cleaning up not the way I would prefer, but just to make it look okay.  We had big baskets or bins, one for everything.  All they needed to do at the end of the day was toss all the plastic people in one container, the stuffed animals in another, the Barbies in another, etc.  The only thing I usually let them keep out was the Legos, because that was an ongoing project.  I had a card table in one corner and that was the Legos-only area.  Sometimes we'd set the stop watch to 10 minutes, and I told them they had to clean it all up in 10 minutes.  For some reason that would make them move fast and they usually got it all done!

[Jean in Newcastle]

OK - this probably belongs on the unpopular opinion thread but if you have a dedicated playroom that is just used for toys I would just leave it messy and close the door.  

[Aspasia]

Screen time only happens when the 'kids stuff' is tidy... Works for us.

This works for us, too, but I'm uptight about screen time and only allow it a couple days a week (except when we're sick). So on those days, it's a great motivator, but the other days...oy, vey.

[JustEm]

OK - this probably belongs on the unpopular opinion thread but if you have a dedicated playroom that is just used for toys I would just leave it messy and close the door.  

I think that is a great idea!  especially if they are good at doing all their other chores.  OP you said they have to pick it up before every meal, correct?  That is A LOT of cleaning for their ages (assuming signature it updated.)  I myself will not straighten a room up more than once per day even if it gets messy again.

[JustEm]

My own experience here... When I was a child my babysitter would constantly get on us for how messy the playroom was (while we were playing in it.)  It got to the point where my brother and I decided to just stop playing with the toys in it while she was there and instead would wrestle each other and run around the house being wild because we were sick of hearing her bother us about cleaning the playroom.

 

I think she later regretted making a huge deal about it.  We were good kids but found creative ways to get around adults' requests.

[Aspasia]

I think that is a great idea! especially if they are good at doing all their other chores. OP you said they have to pick it up before every meal, correct? That is A LOT of cleaning for their ages (assuming signature it updated.) I myself will not straighten a room up more than once per day even if it gets messy again.

I instituted this plan to keep it LESS overwhelming. When they pick it up a few times a day, there are only a few things to pick up at a time. When we aren't consistent with that plan, things get way out of control and they get very discouraged. So I thought it was helpful.

 

We definitely have had periods where we just let it go. Our playroom is our rec room in the basement, so we can basically close the door on it. Sometimes I do just kind of give up and figure it's their world, they can live in it however they want to. But what happens is I start noticing them migrating away from playing there. They start complaining of boredom or there are more spats between them. Once the playroom is picked up again, everyone is much happier. I certainly like to work in a clean space. Chaotic work zones make me cranky and make me look for reasons to be anywhere but in the mess. I think they're the same way...they just play better and happier in at least a semi-clean playroom.

 

Anyway, today I removed 2/3 of the toys from the playroom and put them in a storage area. This was after a long battle which ended in me doing much of the final work. I explained to them that I was going to help them keep the playroom clean by removing some toys so it just can't get as messy. I also told them that if they still need help from me to keep it clean, I will be happy to remove a few more toys to make it even easier. They weren't terribly happy about it all, but oh well.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

I instituted this plan to keep it LESS overwhelming. When they pick it up a few times a day, there are only a few things to pick up at a time. When we aren't consistent with that plan, things get way out of control and they get very discouraged. So I thought it was helpful.

 

We definitely have had periods where we just let it go. Our playroom is our rec room in the basement, so we can basically close the door on it. Sometimes I do just kind of give up and figure it's their world, they can live in it however they want to. But what happens is I start noticing them migrating away from playing there. They start complaining of boredom or there are more spats between them. Once the playroom is picked up again, everyone is much happier. I certainly like to work in a clean space. Chaotic work zones make me cranky and make me look for reasons to be anywhere but in the mess. I think they're the same way...they just play better and happier in at least a semi-clean playroom.

 

Anyway, today I removed 2/3 of the toys from the playroom and put them in a storage area. This was after a long battle which ended in me doing much of the final work. I explained to them that I was going to help them keep the playroom clean by removing some toys so it just can't get as messy. I also told them that if they still need help from me to keep it clean, I will be happy to remove a few more toys to make it even easier. They weren't terribly happy about it all, but oh well.

 

At the age your kids are, I would expect to be the one doing the majority of the cleaning. I'd have them helping me, and the amount of help would increase according to age, but your kids are little. When my kids were younger, we were having the same battles. My oldest is now 11, and she's MUCH better about messes. My youngest is 8, and she's still a mess maker, but if I call her to come clean up a mess or put toys away, she comes right in and does it, with no help needed from me.

 

Also, there's something to be said for the creativity involved in using multiple materials in their play. I could never understand the "One toy out at a time" rule some people have. My kids would use Littlest Pets and Barbies and Pokemon and play silks and blocks and kitchen stuff…all together in one session. I can't imagine squelching that (and I felt that way even when my kids were that age and I was tearing my hair out over our own messes!). 

 

It will improve as they get older, I promise. In the meantime, just keep impressing upon them that they need to participate with you, it's part of taking care of your family and home, etc. It will stick, and they will mature enough to do what they need to do eventually.

[Seeker of Schole]

It is worth it. My oldest made assistant store manager at age of 17, and a lot of that is due to her responsibility, work ethic and her knowledge of how to do chores. She was astonished when she had to start teaching people how to do very basic things.

[MerryAtHope]

I told my kids, if they can't clean it up, choose a grocery bag full of things to give away each day until it was easy enough to clean again. Once it was clean, we made a trip to Salvation Army with the bags. Over the years, they learned to start gathering bags on their own--they knew they were happier with less stuff and when they didn't really need things any more. Doesn't make it perfect, but does help keep things culled!

 

Merry :-)

[GSOchristie]

We pick up the playroom before lunch and before dinner. I have two pieces of yarn that I use to split the room into 4 sections. You only have to clean your section (I clean the fourth, and I get to pick which one I want to clean). You don't get to eat until it is clean. This works for us because no one is dependent on anyone else, you do your part, you're free to go. I have bins and bookshelves for the toys, so everything has a definite place. When I pass by a toy that's not in the playroom, I just toss it back in there. My 2 and 7 year olds usually clean and move on with their lives, my daydreaming 4 year old plays with every toy as he's cleaning >.<.

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

OK - this probably belongs on the unpopular opinion thread but if you have a dedicated playroom that is just used for toys I would just leave it messy and close the door.  

 

:iagree:

 

We don't have a dedicated room, so the living room can get a bit jungle-like, but I agree anyway.

 

Imagine the clean, tidy, orderly, deafening silence when the cherubs go to college.  

[Cera]

We rotate toys to keep the number in the playroom reasonable (less stuff means less mess overall and the kids seem to get overwhelmed when they have too many choices).

 

As far as cleaning it up, I have found that until first or second grade the kids really need me to be working alongside them.  By that time they have learned what "cleaned up" means and can do it on their own but for the first years they need the help.  

 

Mine are now 2nd and 4th.  I require the playroom to be cleaned completely on Sunday afternoons and for special occasions.  The rest of the time they are welcome to set up elaborate games that cover the whole floor and leave them for later (but they can't drag stuff into the living room if their space is too trashed to play in).