Bedroom Cleaning With Kids

Bedroom cleaning with kids can sometimes feel like a battle that isn't worth fighting. Why not just give up and close the bedroom door?

For starters, bedroom cleaning with kids is essential if we want our kids to grow up to be self-sufficient adults. They'll need to practice with us to learn all the cleaning tips and tricks they'll need to do this independently.

Bedroom Cleaning With Kids: Start by Defining Clean

"Clean your room!" we say. But kids need to know exactly what we mean by "clean." What is a 'clean bedroom'? Not a speck of dust? Toys and clothes put away? A clear walkway?

Write it down in checklist form so kids can easily succeed by meeting your expectations. What exactly do you expect? And how often do you expect it?

As parents, it's not just about assigning chores to our kids. We also play a crucial role in motivating them to take action. Our encouragement can make all the difference in their willingness to participate in cleaning tasks.

For little ones, the promise of a game of Candy Land with Mommy or a bike ride around the cul-de-sac with Daddy might be all the prodding needed to get a little one on board.

Getting Older Kids to Clean

Where tweens are concerned, you can take more decisive action. If stuff is on the floor, take control.

I know one mom who got angry and packed away her kid's American Girl doll collection after repeated infractions. Then, the girl had to earn it back. For each clean-room week, she had one doll returned.

Here's an idea for teens. Make them sign a lease agreement! This could state how a room will be kept. If said teen violates the lease, you can't evict her, but you can yank a privilege or three.

Or, maybe have her pay "damages" out of her allowance. Or try a credit-card approach.

Tell your son you will give him a $30 credit card for his favorite store at the end of the month.The catch: If his room gets dirty (as defined in the lease) every day, a dollar will be deducted from the card.

The beauty of this system is that you will spend at least $30 a month on your teen's wardrobe anyway. Why not make him work for it? If all else fails, you can always close the bedroom door.

When it comes down to it, even though it's embedded in a mom's genes to want to clean a kid's room, you should try to resist the urge to do this essential chore for them. You're robbing your little angel of a life lesson she needs to learn.

Age Appropriate Chores for Bedroom Cleaning with Kids

Here's a list of which tasks kids can generally do by which age. Once a child reaches an individual skill or age level, he can usually do the chores for his age group and those for the age groups below.

Of course, some of these chores must be done daily, others once a week, and others once a month or less frequently. Use your best judgment for what gets done and when.

Ages 2 and Under:

• Put toys in bins or drawers

• Help pick up stray books and magazines

• Put dirty clothes in hamper if the top is low enough

Ages 3 to 5:

Previous chores, plus:

• Pull comforter over bed

• Return CDs, DVDs, and videocassettes to their cases

• Put toys and games and all their pieces in the proper boxes or bins

• Return books to bookshelves

• Sponge down the play table

• Take clean, folded clothes to his or her room

• Dust low furniture

• Wash or spot-clean baseboards

• Air-dry throw pillows in dryer

Ages 6 to 9:

Ages 10 to 13:

Previous chores, plus:

• Clean telephones, computer and TV screens, video-game controllers, and remote controls

• Change bed linens

• Clean the bedroom

• Vacuum floors and carpets

• Clean bedroom closets

• Disinfect light switches and doorknobs

• Vacuum furniture

• Clean windows

• Clean blinds

• Wash windows and wipe light fixtures

• Wash washable curtains

Ages 14 to 17: