How to Help Your Child Keep His Room Clean
Four tips for teaching young ones how to keep their space tidy.
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Cede Full Control.
Teens crave independence. So empower your child by giving her choices while still setting boundaries. Tell your teen that a few electronics can live on the floor, but laundry and food is off-limits. That one-to-one ratio— one rule for every freedom— makes teens much more likely to comply with your clutter edicts.
Create Custom Clutter Zones.
Differentiate between kids’ space and shared space. For example, let your teen keep his closet however he wants. But communal spaces, like the living room, must be clutter free. Also allow “clutter days.” Your child can have free rein over her room Monday through Friday, but Sunday is family cleanup day. Post the “house rules” where all can see and make sure that natural consequences are discussed and enacted consistently.
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