Help me, my kids stop me from cleaning the house!!

I try and clean the house, and at the end of the day after I have been cleaning all day, I look around and it's back to the way it was...feels like I am going in circles all day and not achieving anything! I've got an almost 3 yr old and an almost 5 yr...

old, they just trash the place. Is there any good routines that anyone knows? and What do I do with my kids who are up to mischief everytime I'm not in the room?

I have enforced the, you can't play with another toy until you put this one away, with my daughter! She's almost 2 and it seems to be working. We also sing the 'clean up song' and she helps me pick up toys to put back into her room. And at the end of the night, we clean up whatever she may have dragged out while we were getting ready for bedtime and she gets to pick just 1 toy to take to bed with her. I do it every night no matter what and it seems to help me keep my sanity and a clean home...

If you have to step out of the room and leave them there...maybe give them an activity that holds their attention. While I clean up the kitchen after meals, my daughter plays on her own in the living room. I set her up with 2 crayons and some paper and that keeps her busy while I finish cleaning up. Then I tell her to bring me the picture she drew and we put it on the fridge. Seems to work. I just make it a big deal that she made such a pretty picture while I cleaned and then she wants to do it for me every time I have to leave her for a little to get work done.

I hope that helped! I know it's hard to get a schedule going. But once you do, the kids will love it and things can go much easier for you!
Jess

Make them help you clean.

Being that they're so young, make a game out of it. Or say... offer a reward for the help. Tell them that if they're good all day, and help you get everything cleaned. A McDonald's happy meal can go a long way sometimes.

just make it so after you clean a certain room they arent aloud to take toys in it or play ruff in it for the rest of the day..and always clean rooms like the living room and kitchen last

I agree with cowpunk, You should make them do it. In my family My mother instituted that we draw jobs and whatever you pick you have to do no matter what.

Well I work for a preschool and we make the kids pick up after themselves. When it is realy messy we use a game called visitor. We tell the kids the we have a visiter and they have 5 minutes to pick up as much as they can and whoever picks up the most gets a lolipop. Works everytime so far.

I have a 6 year old and 4 year ole, I seemed to go through the same exact thing for a while, until I made a game of them helping me clean up there mess. The winner gets a quarter or a special snack. Now they just do it on their own, with no special treats after. They just have to learn what needs to be done. Also if they do not clean up, I threaten to throw toys away. One time I pretended to throw soomething away and put it in the closet for about a week. They learned a lesson there.

I have a 7, 6 and 4 year old...and believe me, my house looks like a toy store exploded. I've gotten to the point where they can only bring one toy into the living room and the rest have to stay in their bedrooms. At the end of the night before bath time they have to clean up their bedrooms. They all know the rules and they have finally accepted them. If my kids clean up without me telling them to and they do a couple of other "chores" around the house...like making their beds, helping to make dinner, dusting (anything really easy that makes them feel really good) then at the end of the week they get an allowance (one dollar for each of their years).

When you go out of the room give them something to do...like coloring. You could also ask your 5 year old to "help" you sometimes. When my boys were 5 they loved being the "big" kid and getting to help out. Just give them something easy to do and they will enjoy helping you.

Good luck

Thanks guys, very helpful ideas! now I have to try them out before my Mum comes over tomorrow, many thanks!!