(If I step on these one more time I’m going to…)
Actually, it’s not the toys I have trouble with; it’s the child owner who repeatedly neglects to pick-up said playthings despite various forms of yelling, nagging and threatening.
Sound familiar?
Then, you too can likely relate to that Febreze commercial where the mom places all of her kids’ stuffed animals in the toy box only to find them strewn back on the floor the instant she turns around.
How many times have you seen that ad and thought, “That’s so my life”?
Not the possessed toy part; rather, the frustration of completing a task only to find your efforts were for naught.
This is an ongoing problem in our home. Currently, my 8-year-old daughter insists that putting away toys on a daily basis is a fruitless endeavor, much like making her bed; why do it when it’s just going to be undone a few hours later?
“Why should I put away those toys?” she asks me. “I’m just going to play with them again.”
What was I thinking?
How dare I have the audacity to make extra work for my child.
Never mind that she has to tax her balancing skills like a hoarder navigating mountains of belongings in what used to be a functioning living room.
It’s so much easier to ignore me than to pick up toys, so why change?
Or, more importantly, how do I initiate change?
Here is an idea I have been toying with:
Purchase two toy boxes. Use one to place toys in. The other one becomes the “off-limits” box. Every toy that doesn’t get put away by the child in a timely manner gets placed in here for one week. During that time the plaything can’t be removed. If your child fusses about not being able to play with a favorite toy, let the “off-limits” box be your visual aid to illustrate that actions beget consequences.
If you have older kids, you can modify the concept by requiring a small fee be paid in order to get the toy back. After a few days, the average kid will either be broke or start hiding his toys. Either way, you won’t have a mess to contend with and your voice won’t be hoarse from yelling or nagging.
The key to the “off-limits” box is to keep the punishment short. By returning your daughter’s Barbie before she leaves for college you give her the opportunity to adjust her behavior.
Also, keep in mind that idle threats to trash a toy doesn’t yield positive results. After all, if you permanently dump every toy you’re forced to pick-up, you’re throwing away the chance to teach your child how to care for her possessions. What’s more, you will be wasting good money.
How do you motivate your children to clean-up after themselves?