Children are so malleable. In general, they desire to please their parents. However, it is a fallen world and they need constant direction, discipline and training. This is such a deep topic, open to discussion and controversy. Today I am just going to graze the surface and talk about children and chores, particularly in regards to their bedrooms.
Children, if given the choice, would opt to live in a lovely, uncluttered environment. They prefer a beautiful world as much as anyone. They simply need to understand how to achieve this. They also need to understand why they should help around their house. Here the issues of gratitude and respect need to be discussed. Someone, their father or mother or perhaps both, is working very hard to provide a lovely home for them. A child can learn early on to demonstrate thankfulness by simply appreciating their home and doing their part to maintain it.
Start small…expect them to keep their bedrooms clean and chaos free. This training is easily accomplished if you start when your children are young. However, even the habits of your older children can be modified.
Go through your children’s rooms with them. Be relentless. Throw unwanted trash and even “treasures” away. This will be painful at first. Make files for special pictures and projects that need to be saved forever. However, your children must learn that certain items, probably most, are not worthy of saving. You also must model this in your life. They will catch the spirit. Go through their clothes and triage . . . clothes to wear, clothes to discard and clothes to pass on. Repeat this process with toys and sporting equipment. Leave no corner untouched. Look under the bed, as this is a haven for trash and treasures. If you need to utilize the space under the bed, use containers to control and manage this area. The closet floor and shelves should also be de-cluttered and organized.
Now, actually clean the bedroom with your child. Dust and vacuum. Don’t forget the floor boards and the window sills. Show your kids how to make their rooms shine and they will love it. Make sure they know when to change their linens. Train your children to make their beds each morning. A presentable bedroom begins with a bed that is made. No one likes to end their day by crawling into an unmade bed. Yuck.
This will be an on-going process. You will have to continually train your children. Your expectations should be age-appropriate, but the key is to have expectations. Everyone will benefit. Your family will be blessed by living in a neat environment.
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” –Proverbs 22:6
