I love when you, the readers of the blog write me!! Here's an email I received from Heather who is at her wits end with her teenage daughters bedroom!
Dear Dawn
Hi,
Any advice on organizing my 16 year old daughter’s bedroom. I’ve come to peace with the fact she has no intention of tidying or cleaning it, but I would still like to have a way to keep the mess “contained”.
Please let me know if you have a way to make her disorganized chaos into an organized one.
Thanks much,
Heather
***
Dear Heather,
Sounds like you have given up. My question to you is why? She is 16 years old and should be responsible to clean her room and keep it tidy at all times. Under no circumstances should she be allowed any extras if her room is not clean. You’re responsible for checking it daily.
Her bed should be made each day, and clothes hung up and put away. Perhaps you can meet her half way and tell her as long as she keeps it picked up and tidy all week, you will clean it, change sheets, dust, vacuum etc.
There is no reason that a 16 year old can’t keep her room neat. It’s our jobs to follow through and teach them responsibility. When they have their own homes then they can keep them any way they like, but while living under our roofs there will be rules to follow. If she argues or doesn’t do what is expected you have the control to take things away, or not let her go out until her room is cleaned. Your house, your rules!
I will suggest that you help her to organize and clean it up the first time. When its all picked up let her know this is the way you expect it to look at all times. Go through and toss clothes that don’t fit or she doesn’t wear, box up items that she’s outgrown but wants to keep.
Maybe freshening her room up with a coat of paint and letting her do a little decorating will motivate her to keep it clean and neat. Let her put her personality and mark on it. Check back for tomorrows article. We'll go over some great ideas to update your kids rooms!
Hi Dawn,
ReplyDeleteI have a 13 year old daughter and a 6 year old son. I feel that I am constantly at them about picking up their room. I do go in and help out especially with the 6 year old. I don't feel I'm making any head way. With my daughter, I have worked with her and shown herfrom she was 2. When she was in grade school we made a list of things to do when cleaning her room but it seems the older she gets the more untidy her room has become.She has clean cloths in her laundry basket that will sit in her room for an entire week,a bed that sin't made well, and an unvacuumed room. My son has told me he would perfer to keep his room untidy with all the toys scattered all over the floor and of late his discarded clothing.
Help, I literally feel like I'm going to explode. I am a working mom with a long commute