Cleaning a child’s room can lead to meltdowns from the child and feelings of guilt for you. Children can have a difficult time letting go of objects that need to be tossed. However, with some effective strategies, it’s possible to have a clean house and happy children.
It’s important to approach the situation with care and understanding. Try these strategies:
1. Understand their attachment. Children can grow attached to strange things and junk.
- Children can view a small rock, broken shoelaces, or tree twigs as treasures. Parents tend to view these objects as junk that needs to be thrown away. It’s important to let children keep some items and let them choose which ones to discard.
2. Work with your child to clean their room. By working together, you can avoid a meltdown when they see that the room has been cleaned without them.
- It may be tempting to clean the room when the child is at school, playing outside the house, or visiting friends. However, this can lead to issues after the child realizes what has happened.
3. Take pictures of sentimental items. If you have to throw away a sentimental item, then you can take pictures first.
- Pictures can help you and your child remember the items.
- The piles of drawings your child makes every day can make it difficult to keep a clean house. However, you can save them by taking photos and storing the images online. This way, your child will have a record of their art without taking up space.
- This method can work for a variety of items, including old sculptures from school.
4. Get rid of the easy items first. You can work your way up to the more difficult ones. Old papers, broken toys, dried out pens, and other items can be your first targets.
5. Start with a small area. If it’s too difficult to tackle the entire room, then consider starting with one corner or one shelf.
- By starting small, it’s easier for your child to focus on the task.
- When you complete one area, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and want to move on to other parts. Your child will also feel a sense of success.
- Consider spreading out the cleaning process to several days, so your child can help and adjust to the changes easier. This will make them more willing to let go of some of the items.
6. Get help from professionals. If the cleaning process is too stressful and emotional, then consider getting professional help.
- The cleaning crew will be able to focus on the task and get your child involved. You can take a more laid-back approach and watch the process unfold.
You can clean your child’s room without fits by following these simple tips. It’s important to keep a clean house, but it’s also important to understand a child’s feelings and attachment to items. The cleaning process can be a positive experience for both of you.