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terrydoo73
26-01-2010, 10:57 PM
Is it too much to ask a 4 year old to tidy up? I have a little girl who hoards toys to one point up my hall - she takes toys from the playroom and carries them to a certain place out of view but does nothing with them. I don't mind so much but it is getting her to put them back. Eventually after a bit of time out and with her asking to do another activity she put the toys back but they were just dumped into the playroom again. I don't mind so much but discovered 2 of my little wooden toys broken afterwards!

I feel a bit of a witch continually banging on to her about putting toys away but I just wonder if it is a bit of attention seeking on her part - does she love seeing me getting annoyed by continually doing this day in day out??

Pipsqueak
26-01-2010, 11:19 PM
sounds like a transporting schema to me!

Jessicasmummy
26-01-2010, 11:27 PM
I don't think its too much to ask, I always ask the children to tidy away the toys that are out before moving on to the next activity or we would all be tripping over all the time! I help the smaller ones pack away and explain to the bigger ones the importance of having to pack away.

diddledumplings
27-01-2010, 12:21 AM
I insist on all children tidying up no matter how old they are, my daughter has been "helping" mummy put toys away since she was 18 months old. She's 3.5 now and gets stroppy when I ask her to tidy up but she'll do it eventually and I'll refuse anymore toys out until those are put away.

I have stacker boxes and only 2 are allowed out at a time because of space and tripping hazards ect. So no I don't think you're asking too much

Have you tried putting a box of toys in your hall to see what happens then.

I have a child who likes to put toys in a corner of my room and play there so no-one else could play with them (he sits with his back to everyone and hunches over what he's playing with). I put a box of toys in that space to discourage this and so the child would move further into the centre of the room and now I get "I had that first" if someone moves in and plays with a toy thats near him :laughing: and I just remind the children that we share ALL TOYS at my house

If it is a transporting schema, sand and water play, baking, treasure baskets ect are good for engaging the child, some good ideas and info on schemas below HTH :thumbsup:

http://earlychildcare.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/schemas-e28093-how-to-understand-and-extend-children_s-behaviour.pdf

sarah707
27-01-2010, 07:42 AM
Sounds exactly like a transporting schema to me too! They can be great for the child but very annoying for the adult.

The child has no idea why s/he has a compunction to move things from one place to another and not a clue of the chaos they cause!!

Do you make tidying up fun?

Do you perhaps put special tidy up music on or make up a tidy up song... with treats for you both if you finish before the song ends?

Do you explain the dangers of leaving toys to be tripped over and involve her in fire practices exactly when the danger is there so she can understand?

Do you join in with tidying or provide boxes and bags so s/he can 'transport' the toys back again, making it into a bit of a game?

If children don't have to do it at home or it's a battle of wills, sometimes it works to engage them in another way.

Hth :D

miffy
27-01-2010, 07:50 AM
sounds like a transporting schema to me!

And me!

Some good info on that link diddledumplings, thank you

Miffy xx

MrsT333
27-01-2010, 07:55 AM
sounds like a transporting schema to me!

I agree you. My LO's of 18 mth help to tidy up, its just part of my routine.

Twinkle
27-01-2010, 08:33 AM
It does sound like a transporting schema but at 4 years old she should tidy up after herself with encouragement.

greanan
27-01-2010, 11:28 AM
all my mindees help to tidy away the toys. we turn it into a game to see who can tidy up the most. i also ask them individually to tidy something away sometimes too so they dont get bored with it e.g. T can u put all the lego into the box please etc xx

Pipsqueak
27-01-2010, 12:39 PM
ooops sorry:blush: I was having a ditzy moment - didn't realise I hadn't posted more -durrrrr. you must have thought I was being very unhelpful.:doh: anyway Sarah has provided more info

singingcactus
27-01-2010, 12:47 PM
I think at 4 years old that cleaning up after themselves is not an unreasonable request, regardless of whichever schema she follows.
My four year old follows a mixing or rotation schema but her knows it is his responsibility to tidy up after himself. It is also his right to live in a good environment and to take part in maintaining that environment.

Gizmo
27-01-2010, 12:52 PM
I have one who hides toys in the toy pram dont know why. I have a 7 yr old before and after school at the mo and finding it a bit hard she goes in a strop if you ask her to put away with what she has been playing with to the point of she is now telling my dd 6 that why should we tidy up its your mums job to look after us and now dd isnt doing it either :angry: If you say anything to parents its oh isnt she a terror :panic:

terrydoo73
27-01-2010, 12:57 PM
Thanks - thought I was going a bit mad! She is at nursery every morning and I know they do encourage the child to play with a toy, put it away after playing and move onto the next.

Mum has said to keep encouraging her but then at home she doesn't have boxes for toys - they are just stacked in a room beside the kitchen and there is no sense of what is actually in there.

I am more annoyed at the fact that this attitude is encourage my mindee twins at 21 months to try and get the toys away from her and thereby breaking the toys. I am not being a tidy freak although hubby says I am. My incentive to her is that if she puts all the toys away there might be time to watch a dvd before her mummy comes to collect her.

The particular area she moves everything to as I said is out of view - there is a long narrow hallway and then this small area leading into a bedroom, the door of which is always closed and it is the most darkest place to play in! I used to put toys that would interest her in the main part of the hallway but because of the twins they kept getting moved! If I put a box or bag down in that area again the twins would lift it and anyway the toys she is moving about are from a box - she doesn't actually lift the whole box with her just the toys out of it if you understand what I mean.