My boy’s room was a sty. Sure, it’s one of their obligations to get it tidied up every morning (with a more thorough clean on Saturday). But they were just electing to not get paid for it, and instead laze around, even losing out on computer time becuase it was dirty.
And I hated it, and I hated that stuff was lost all the time.
And then I realized the only person that was going to do anything about it was me. My kids weren’t going to take the initiative to do it on their own.
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Enter the Guny bag– circa joyschool.
**The Guny bag (or is it Gunny) comes and “eats” leftover toys — then it “throws them up” on Saturdays.
Sure, it worked when you were 3 — but would it work now?
I just told them the gunny bag would make an appearance each day after they left for school.
I put it in my Astrid and I did it. The first week I was getting full bags of stuff every day. Sometimes it was important stuff, and I required a job be done for each item they wanted out immediately. I threw all the stuff on the floor on Saturday and gave them 10 minutes to put it away.
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And by the last week I just had a towel. Some things will never change.
BUT it did work. And their room was cleaner today even though we’re working on a new item this month (turning off lights, if you must know — I’ll report how that goes next month).
But the moral of this story is that YOU as the MOM need to be in charge. You are the one that initiates change. You prevent entropy.
It’s you and the sun, baby.
Angie Henderson says
You’re a good mommy. My blog post is similar to this one today. That’s because I want to be like you when I grow up.
Kara says
Thank you for this idea. Been having a hard time with my second daughter and her room. We tried this, she hated the idea by the way so I knew it was a good one. It has been two weeks of clean rooms. Ah… so nice.
Lara says
I didn’t do Joy School, so I have questions.
What if they don’t get it all put away in ten minutes on Saturday? Does that stuff go back in the bag?
Maybe that was my only question.
I am going to try this. Sophia’s room is KILLING me.
Joyce P says
Preventing entropy! I love your sense of “realness” and humor!
Hilary says
Awh, thanks Joyce!
Melissa Andrew says
My mother did this with us as kids, and I’ve carried on to do the same. The problem is, my stepson, who is 11, doesn’t care! I took his PS 3 away 4 months ago along with his DS and he’s made no attempt to earn it back! Do I make him do chores, and just give it back? We’re trying to teach him some initiative, so we think he should take action and attempt to earn it back but he doesn’t, just shrugs and sits there. Any suggestions? To be honest, he has this attitude with just about everything we punish him with…I’m at a loss, nothing bothers him!
Hilary says
I hear you! I have one who seems to shrug and walk away. If I ever had the will and the guts I’d just start to clean out what he leaves out until he has no clothes…. I guess if he doesn’t put it away it shows he doesn’t need it. Good luck!
Christine says
We recently got a robot vacuum and I’ve told my daughter that it will eat any toys that are left on the floor. It runs every day at 10 am and her playroom has never been so clean.
Hilary Erickson says
Hah! I love that!
Jennifer G says
We totally do that too…keeping “Rosie” from eating tiny Legos is a great incentive! I also do “if I step on it in the night it goes in the trash” to get a last clean up before bed.
Hilary Erickson says
Love it!
Christina says
If you figure out a way to get them to remember to turn off lights I would like to hear about it.
Hilary Erickson says
Hahha…. beatings? Just kidding….