Teach responsibility while making sure the job gets done👇
Cleaning up a mess they've made themselves is an important part of a young child’s development. It helps them develop a sense of responsibility. While it might be easier for you to do the cleaning up yourself, that's just a short-term solution.
If you are constantly picking up after your child at this age, they’ll learn to always expect it. And then, as they get older they either won't know how or won't think it is something they need to concern themselves with, because mom and dad always do it.
Cleaning up, while not necessarily fun, doesn't have to be an awful chore. Here’s how to make the task run smoothly.
📌START YOUNG
Work with your child from as young as possible to clean up after himself. With a baby, have him help you clean up his toys after indpendent play.
Now, obviously this is literally physically impossible until your child is able to put things back into containers, which is literally a developmental milestone. This typically happens somewhere around 9-12 months.
Before your child is physically able to do this, do it in front of him. Talk about it, sing about it, and do it consistently. He will see that when playtime is over, you clean up and it will be a natural thing to him or her.
📌EXPLAIN WHY
Children are nice people. Explain why you want your child to clean up after himself. Explain that it makes things easier on you and helps you out. Explain that it is polite to clean up after yourself when you make a mess.
Point out how having things clean and organized feels good. Knowing WHY you want something done will help a child remember to keep it a priority.
📌ENFORCE CONSISTENCY
There is no magic formula that you will walk away with a guarantee that your child will be cleaning up his own messes in a week. So consistency is the key.
📌APPRECIATE AND THANK
Be sure to recognize your child when he remembers to clean up after himself. Thank him or her for the efforts and for remembering.
Happy Parenting😇
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