Teach your kids to clean up

I told you I like reading books about raising my kiddo, although it’s hard to find the time nowadays, but I still have a weekly update from baby center and I am glad I keep getting information that educates me.

One of the useful information that I have read, either from a book or from a website, I barely remember the source, but it said that when it comes to cleaning your baby toys, don’t do it when your baby sleeps, although it is easier to do that. You may think that there is no point of cleaning up when your baby is awake because then he will re-create the mess again. But when you clean the toys in front of your baby, you are teaching him and showing him a good example. He may not get it now, but later you will see the benefit.

Since Caleb was born, I always do the cleaning myself…cleaning the house (floor,window,furniture,kitchen,bathrooms) and Caleb often saw me doing that.And do you know what’s the first thing he wanted to do when he was able to walk by himself?He wanted my broom and help me sweep the floor and mop the table!

Once I was toilet training him, and he peed on the floor. He quickly grabbed a cloth to mop his pee on the floor. Well, of course I did not allow him to do it but I was very proud of his initiative to help.

About cleaning his toys, I always do it everytime he gets bored and stopped playing with one toy, I will tell him “let’s clean and tidy up before we leave the room”. There were lots of times he just ignored me and crawled outside the room, but I continue what I was doing. And then one day I decided to really make him a part of the cleaning job by leaving 1 item for him to put back on the his toy box, and I still do that til now whenever he doesn’t feel like cleaning up, at least he put one item back in its place.And so these days I am relieved that I begin to see some benefits actually show up.He now does the cleaning of his bath toy after shower on his own, without being told!

And what makes me proud even more…

Yesterday we were at the doctor’s clinic and while we were waiting there, I grabbed 2 car toys for Caleb to play. And when he had done playing with them, he put them back to where I took those toys!! I am so amazed and proud of him! J

It was a pleasure to have the knowledge I have, been applied and gain its benefit!