Here’s a Trick to Get Kids to Put Their Things Away
You may have tried scheduling household chores. You may have turned cleaning into a game . Maybe you suggested a dose, or tried to follow a strict routine, or sang“The Cleaning Song” 27 times in a row (hey, it works wonderfully when your child’s teacher sings it, right?).
It may be time for a more radical tactic to get your kids to put away all of their belongings. One Mom’s Solution: Fuck Buckets.
Jessica McGinty of Mishmash Mondays wrote on Facebook : “Today I have baby buckets. If they leave him lying, he will end up in their bucket. If he’s still there before bed, he goes to the trash can, because the hell if I put him away. “
It may be harsh, but undoubtedly effective.
This strategy can be used with children of all ages – the McGuinty blended family includes children as young as nine, seven, seven, six, and two. As a more forgiving alternative, rather than immediately taking things to a trash can or donation center, some commenters suggest letting your kids get their belongings back by adding more housework.
I am not against this system, although real willpower is required to implement it. Are you really going to throw this iPad to the floor? Or your 4-year-old’s special plush bunny that he can’t sleep without? Not to mention, you, as a parent, are still technically picking things up.
However, as long as your kids understand that everything works this way, they’d better remove this dinosaur or ice cream from the plasticine before bed, otherwise they will be gone by the morning, buckets around can make you a little smarter, and in your house a lot order.