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Episode 3137:
Jen shares ten tips for getting kids to clean up without it turning into a fight, starting with the groundwork that makes the job possible at all: declutter, give everything a labeled home, and keep it all within reach. She covers giving a warning before cleanup starts, setting a timer as a game rather than a countdown to punishment, putting music on, and cleaning more than once a day so messes never grow into something overwhelming. It is grounded parenting advice for making cleanup an ordinary family habit instead of a nightly standoff.
Read along with the original article(s) here: https://thistimeofmine.com/how-to-get-kids-to-clean-up-without-a-fight/
Quotes to ponder:
"Kids and messes go together like peanut butter and jelly."
"Kids will be less likely to put up a fight if cleaning is just a regular part of life."
"Kids always do better when they know exactly what's expected of them."
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[00:00:30] Hey, it's Justin from Optimal Living Daily. Before we start, I want to share a super powerful practice I use called NSDR or Non-Sleep Deep Rest. In just about 10 minutes or so, this Yoga Nidra practice leaves you feeling as refreshed as after a nap without actually sleeping. Experience it for yourself on our guided podcast. Search NSDR and look for the one from Optimal Living Daily. This is Optimal Relationships Daily.
[00:00:58] How to get kids to clean up without a fight. By Jen of This Time of Mine. Kids and messes go together like peanut butter and jelly. But that doesn't mean they can't learn to clean up after themselves. Keeping the house put together is a big job and we shouldn't have to do it alone. So, bring in the reinforcements. Of course, we all want our kids to help out. But if you're constantly fighting with your kids about cleaning up, you're in the right place.
[00:01:27] Listen on for 10 tips that will get your kids to clean up better, faster, and without a fight. First things first. One of the best ways to help our kids clean up, especially without a fight, is to make it easy for them to do so. Declutter whenever possible. Donate unused toys and throw out ones that are broken or missing pieces. Create a home for everything. Make sure everything has a box, a bin, or a shelf to be put in. As a bonus, add labels.
[00:01:56] Make everything easy to reach. Clean up will go much smoother and happen more often if they can do everything themselves. These three tips will set the stage for your kids to get better at cleaning up after themselves. Now, here are 10 tips to help make it less of a battle for everyone. How to get the kids to clean up without a fight. To help your kids get better at cleaning up after themselves, try these tips. Number one, give warning.
[00:02:24] If there's one thing I know about kids, it's that they don't like an abrupt end to playtime. Before telling the kids it's time to clean up, give them a warning. Something simple like five minutes until it's time to clean up will make the transition much easier for everyone. Number two, clean up more than once per day. Small messes are always easier to clean than big messes. Of course, we always want our kids to put one thing away before getting out another,
[00:02:53] but in real life, it doesn't always work. So, to prevent messes from building up, have clean up time more than once. Once before lunch and once before bed might be all they need to keep it manageable. Number three, set a timer. Help create a sense of urgency by setting a timer, but keep it fun. Kids love racing to beat a timer, so make it a race rather than a countdown to a punishment.
[00:03:18] Add extra incentive by having them trying to beat you or offering something fun for them to do if they beat the timer. Number four, turn on music. Chores seem to go by faster with good music, don't they? Keep things fun and upbeat by turning on something the kids love. They can then focus more on their favorite songs and less on the fact that they're doing a chore. Number five, make cleaning up a regular part of the daily routine.
[00:03:45] Kids will be less likely to put up a fight if cleaning is just a regular part of life. Of course, you might still get the occasional eye roll or two, but help them understand that being in a family means that everyone contributes. It's not a punishment, it's just how it is. Number six, stay consistent. Along those same lines, be as consistent as you can by making cleaning up a daily habit. Of course, we all have crazy days where no cleaning happens, but if cleaning up happens more often than not,
[00:04:15] it'll be easier to make it a habit. Number seven, provide other opportunities to clean. Help reinforce cleaning skills by giving your kids other opportunities to contribute. Toys aren't the only things they can clean up. Find a simple chore system and work it into your family schedule. Number eight, make your expectations known. Kids always do better when they know exactly what's expected of them. When it comes to cleaning up toys and other play things,
[00:04:44] make sure they know exactly where everything goes. Help them understand what the area looks like when it's cleaned according to your standards. Number nine, lead by example. Let your kids see you clean. Sometimes we do all of our cleaning when the kids are otherwise occupied. They often don't realize how much work goes into keeping the house clean. So let them see that you clean too. And number 10, give grace.
[00:05:11] When it comes to getting kids to clean up, it's important to set our expectations high. But it's even more important to support them in their growth. Help them understand that all you expect is their best effort, however that may look. As they grow, their skills will improve, as will their endurance. So give them grace as they learn, especially on days when they're feeling overwhelmed with the task. So to recap, here's how to get kids to clean up. Give warning. Clean more than once per day.
[00:05:41] Set a timer. Turn on music. Make cleaning up a regular part of the daily routine. Stay consistent. Provide other opportunities to clean. Make your expectations known. Lead by example. And give grace. You just listened to the post titled, How to Get Kids to Clean Up Without a Fight, by Jen, of This Time of Mine.
[00:06:08] And an absolutely perfect list from Jen today. Great write-up by her, which I really have nothing to add to. But all I will say is that a lot of the foundational parts of her advice today can and should be applied most everywhere. What might these be? Well, making things easy, like with the labels and having things easy to reach. Soft transitions. Fun. Consistency. Thankfulness. Leading by example. Rewards.
[00:06:37] Creating games. These are all wonderful tools to help ourselves and others achieve goals or stick to new routines with ease. So whether it's cleaning or something else, whether it's your kids, you, or someone else, think about how ideas like these can be integrated into a situation you're involved in, in which you'd like to see progress made. And best of luck with that. It is time to wrap this one up, folks. So glad to have had you here with me today for this great read.
[00:07:06] And I do hope you'll come back tomorrow for another post, which you won't want to miss. So I'll see you there, where your optimal life awaits. Thank you. Thank you.