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Entry-Level Mommy
When I left my high-tech corporate job to be an at-home mom, I had no idea of the changes I was going to encounter. No, I am not talking of the usual baby stuff like not freaking out when food or something worse gets rubbed on my nice clothes…if and...
Essential Baby Clothes And Accessories
Leave the cute outfits to the shower guests – these are the things you need. Having a baby is a time of combined joy and stress for most people. Nothing compares to the joy that a mother feels when she’s holding her new baby for those first few...
Homemade Baby Shower Decorations
No baby shower would be the same without decorations. While you could spend quite a bit of money buying decorations, an additional option is to make them. The thing is that homemade decorations are not difficult once you know how. In this chapter,...
Spending More Than You Make
When you spend more money than you make each month you are bound to have money problems very quickly. The bad part is that most of us never realize we are spending that much until it's too late. How many times have you used the credit cards to buy...
Swimwear That You'll Feel Comfortable In
Finding the right swimwear can be a fun and also a stressful experience. You want to look your best in the swimwear of your choice at the beach. Light, colorful beach clothing will make you feel comfortable and cool. Some of the varieties you can...
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Clean Your Room!!
How many times have you said that as a parent? Or...how many times have you heard that as a kid?
The whole "keep-your-room-clean war" happens in just about every household, but believe it or not, there are ways to make it not such a headache for both kids and parents.
The first thing you as a parent must remember is that every kid is different. Just like every adult is different. YOUR idea of clean is most likely not the same as your child's.
Also, all people (adults and kids) organize a space in their own way.
Let me give you example: My five year old son's idea of an organized room is that everything is in it's place. He likes things lined up where he can see them and when he cleans his room, everything goes back in the same spot where it belongs.
Now my 7 year old daughter, who is the creative type, doesn't really care where it goes. She has the "out of sight, out of mind" mindset. So trying to get her to put things in the same place every time is like pulling teeth!
After realizing and accepting that both kids are completley different I had to come up with different ways to help them keep their room clean.
What I just said is KEY! Coming up with ways to HELP them keep their rooms clean. If they have no system in place or nowhere to keep their things, then cleaning their room will seem like an impossible task. But, if you as the parent can adapt their rooms to their personality type, it will make things a lot easier.
Now back to my kids...For my son, having things labeled is a big help. He has a bin
labeled "army men", one labeled "dinosaurs", etc. So when I say, "please clean up your army men", he knows exactly where they go.
As for my daughter...I tried the labeling technique and what did she do? She took them off because she didn't like it. She said, "I know where my things go". So for her, dividing her room into zones (dress-up, doll house etc.) with a bin or two for each helps her keep her room clean.
I tried having one drawer for all her dress-up shoes and one drawer for all her dress-up accessories, but it just didn't work. She wants them all in one bin and doesn't mind digging for her things. Digging drives me crazy, but for her, it's just fine...and maybe even fun.
Last but not least, just walking into your kid's room and saying "Clean Your Room!" is usually not the best way to go. For toddlers, elementary age and for some teenagers it is a good idea to be specific.
For example: "Please put all your dress-up clothes in the box and all your doll clothes in their box." That way they have a specific mission. Instead of just looking at their room in a state of confusion, you have given them some direction.
One note to parents: Keeping YOUR room clean also will set a GREAT example for your kids! Hey, just making the bed makes a world of difference ;).
About the Author
Julie Bonner is the co-owner of www.cool-kid-bedrooms.com and has had extensive experience in organizing and decorating kids' bedrooms as well as all other areas of the home. She lives in Georgia with her husband and three children.
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