Getting kids to pick up their stuff

Tuesday, November 20, 2007


Today is Works for Me at Rocks in My Dryer. I would like to offer you something that worked for me when my children were school age.

I do not know about yours, but my kids were rather sloppy. They came in from school and set their coat, shoes, books etc all over the place. Then the toys came out and they were all over making it difficult to walk anywhere.

Time out, spanking, yelling, sending them to their rooms etc, nothing worked. I still ended up picking everything up.

My husband and I decided to try to teach them something about life and responsibility. I bought several baskets and when they would not clean up and I had to everything of theirs went into the baskets. Since my time is worth something and they were being irresponsible we would not let them just have their item back. They had to pay .25 a piece per item or do a job per item. In the beginning they thought we were going to give in, they grumbled because they needed that book for homework, or the jacket since it was chilly outside etc. I did not give in!

Soon there was not as much left lying around the floors, chairs, doors etc. It worked for me!

5 comments:

Infinity Goods said...

What a great trick.

Monica said...

Brilliant!! I'm going to give this one a try.

Unknown said...

Wonderful!

Great idea.

Feel welcome to visit me at:

Laane on the World

Happy Thanksgiving!

Unknown said...

Hi Peggie.

About your comment on Angel Food.

I'm living in another country.
The rules are different here.
The service is for people who really need it, not for those who see it as a way of saving money so they can buy something else.

I've read the site of Angel Food and it strikes me that it's said that volunteers will help to take the food to the car.
Here the rule is that as long you're having a car, you don't need help getting food.

It's the same rules that goes for application for social benefits.

On the Angel Food site I read:
Provides food for those that desperately need it, as well as help offsite food costs for middle class families who also struggle with debt and other financial pressures -- everyone qualifies.

Well, this is a contradiction.

I've seen the list of what was in the box.
It's great!

Comparing to what we're able to give our family, we can't give that.
Still we wouldn't even be considered to be asked to apply.

So different countries, different rules.

Kathy in WA said...

This is a great idea. My inlaws recently watched my children for a week and she did something like that only she charged them a chore/job in order to win their item back.

I love the idea!

Thanks for sharing.

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