Comments on: A Very Not-So-Merry Messy Room

By: Amy

Amy — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:49:37 +0000

Ugh!!! My daughter is the same way! I can’t stand it! All 4 of my kids are pretty messy, but the youngest 2, ages 4 & 6 will clean their room pretty quickly, but my daughter will take DAYS to clean her room!!

By: Carmen

Carmen — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:27:58 +0000

Just see it as creative mind at work!

By: jolyn

jolyn — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:09:32 +0000

Yea, yea, Jerilyn. And I remember how Carmen’s room always looked, so I hold onto that as there being hope for Olivia someday, too:)

By: Jerilyn

Jerilyn — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:47:54 +0000

I never had a 6 year old that did any thing related to cleaning without supervision every time. Nice concept though.

By: jolyn

jolyn — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 04:25:06 +0000

She doesn’t have friends over regularly enough for that to work — none within walking distance, anyway. But when she does you should see how fast she can work. It’s all about motivation, and so far no one thing works. I could sit there and supervise every minute until she’s done, but she’s getting to the age where she just needs to do it. Or at least go through the motions, without me being on her every step of the way. That’s what we’re struggling with.

By: jolyn

jolyn — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 04:22:38 +0000

A contest totally counts! Sometimes I have set the timer, but sometimes that doesn’t work. Thing is, once she starts she knows how to do it. She’s just all drama. “Cleaning up is so boring!”

By: jolyn

jolyn — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 04:05:24 +0000

Oh my, Marilyn, yes. And so do Tv’s, computers, lights (even when off)…

If Olivia had one more thing she had to do in the morning before school, I think we’d both give up and just go back to bed.

By: Carmen

Carmen — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:58:34 +0000

I have given up on the dream of the boys’ rooms being in a constant state of cleanliness. Our routine is that on Saturday before you do anything else, you clean, dust and sweep your room. The mess never gets more than a week old and I at least know it is foundationally clean, even if not visually appealing.

Now I am freaking out about the cell phone charger…

By: Jin6655321

Jin6655321 — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:13:53 +0000

Does your daughter bring her friends to her room? Nothing motivates me to tidy up like knowing I have guests coming over.

I also recommend the five minute clean up. Sometimes, when a room is a huge mess, it’s daunting. So, maybe before bed, spend five minutes putting things away. The goal isn’t to finish the room in five minutes, but just to tidy up for five minutes.

I’m a bit of a slob myself and I like to do the commercial clean up. I pick a show to watch and, when it goes to commercial, I start cleaning and tidying up. When the show comes back on, I stop, watch the show, and repeat.

By: Our Lives

Our Lives — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:52:02 +0000

I have both kinds. My oldest son’s room was somewhat in order when he was under ten. When he hit the teenage years, the whole picture changed. By the time he left home, We had to repaint the room. LOL! My daughter, on the other hand LOVES organization. Her room has been the most organized room in our house. My second boy, who has such competitve personality, decided to have a contest with his older sister to see who could keep his/her room the neatest. It was music to my ears, needless to say. Till today, her room is still the best, brother took second place but I told my son that the contest is off as the baby has moved into his room and there is big adjustment to be made. We are hoping to rearrange the boys room in January. Will you consider the contest a method? I did.