Household Chores

Ok so lately I've been staying on Hanna about keeping her room clean and cleaning up after herself when she drags toys out into the livingroom or other rooms in the house. Her room got so ridiculously messy that it took me almost 5 hours to clean it one day about 2 weeks ago and I refuse to let it get that bad again. I didn't just pick stuff up and throw it back in bins or anything, I mean I went through everything, threw stuff out, etc.. So anywhoo she's been doing pretty good but here's the thing...she always says well it's not fair because Aubrey doesn't pick up after herself or have to clean her room. If Aubrey sees someone picking stuff up she'll "help" normally by throwing something in another direction so it's out of the middle of the floor but she just can't comprehend cleaning yet per se. How can I incorporate her in cleaning (even though she messes stuff up) when Hanna is around so Hanna doesn't feel that it is unfair?

We sing the clean up song, everyone helps, and when Al was to young I would carry her, and put the toy in her hand and help her put it way.

Good Question because Jack is the same way......Why do I have to clean up when Laila doesn't? Well dear because I said so!

So make him clean up when she is napping - now that she is walking she can start to make it look like she is doing to do too I guess.....

When my girls were about 1 1/2 I think was when I started teaching them to pick up. Be simple and direct - 'please pick up the doll', then once they have it in their hand 'please put the doll on the shelf' and it usually doesn't take long for them to figure it out.

But I'm a mean mommy - I just tell them life isn't fair, deal with it and do what you're told.

Aiden helps clean up. He knows what "pick up" means. A lot of times I also don't have to tell him to put it away, he'll just do it. He's 21 months now. He understands just fine.

And I hear all the time how Aiden doesn't have to do things that Tanner does. "Why doesn't Aiden get in trouble like I do?". He does, just in a different way. I don't know if he'll ever get that until Aiden gets older.

I think kids of any age (aside from newborns of course) are able to help with "chores". Avery has been putting her things away since she was a year and it's just routine for us. She knows that at 6:30 it's time to start cleaning up, so she'll pick everything up off the floor and put them in her bins. I will also give her her own little dust rag when I'm dusting and she'll help with that. And I also let her help with the laundry. I'll sit her on the washing machine and hand her clothes to throw in and she loves that! She also loves to match up the socks.

That's how it goes here too, I know Aubrey is young for that but when she throws something across the floor it's not too early to tell her "No, put it here". You may be the one that ends up doing the "put it here" at first but she'll catch on.

When my kids ask questions like that I tell them that 1. Because I said so, and 2. Worry about yourself, not your brother/sister.

That's exactly what I did- "helped" the younger one clean.

You could try that with Aubrey, and also encourage Hanna to help her as well. That way, she'll be less focused on "being the only one cleaning" and it will help her to feel that she has an important job, showing lil sis the ropes!

Then again, I have a 5-year old who selectively remembers what the term "clean up" means, so what do I know

UGh....that phrase is in my house alot..."Why doesn't Russell have to clean"...The answer is because Russell doesn't make the mess.

Russell usually goes and voluntarily takes a nap when cleaning time arises...

Lexi is the same way, "Its not fair Raygen don't have to help"