Arghhhhhhhhhh the 4.5yo AGAIN - Cleaning own room

[BellyBelly]

I wrote this exact same post on my FB page but about my 8 year old daughter!

We've moved in a couple of months, things were all over the place, and her room the messiest place in the house - so things are a bit chaotic and I should have been a bit more understanding - it was probably more about me feeling uncomfortable with her room and someone seeing it in the state that it was, and nothing more. Nothing was working asking her to clean up, but what did work is this. I decided firstly to be kind - with everything going on and even myself looking in her room, I felt overwhelmed and flabbergasted. Imagine how that would feel to an 8 year old who no doubt feels the same.

I scanned the room - she doesnt really have much storage. I bought these cute little shelf/drawers that go on her clothes drawers, I got her a dresser and mirror and a desk and chair, all in white and pink. I put away all the clothes for her but left the toys, and put her clothes basket in an easier to access place. I put a spare iPhone/iPod dock in her room with my old iPhone that she loves to play with and listen to music. When she woke up and saw it (I snuck everything in overnight) she was overwhelmed with happiness. She started assigning items to places, and shock horror - now is playing in her room and spending more time in there and with the iPhone dock, she cranks up the music and gets ready in the morning and does girlie things - its no longer a source of stress but relaxation and fun. I think once it is a place of stress, they just don't want to be there.

Yeah it still has mess - but it's not what it used to be and she enjoys her room more.

I also think 4.5 is a little young to expect them to clean their room, alone. Maybe put some storage in there with names on them, so she knows where everything goes and make it fun.

Something I used to do that they used to love at that age was when I had a pile of washing, I would tell the kids - let's have a treasure hunt - find all your clothes in this big mixed pile from the washing and lets see who has the biggest pile in their room when we're done!