Asking children to help tidy up?

**charlieamber** · 09-11-2011, 07:39 PM

Just wondering who does this?

Recently I did my CIS course and the lady running it said she didnt agree with children clearing up their toys before going to differant toys!
She said she never asks them to clean up, she starts and normally they will follow!

Well in all my experience through childminding for a total of 21 years and my own children, if you don't ask them to help, then they wont LOL. Even the little ones now that I am minding wont just come and help me, unless I say " Lets tidy away and then we can get out..............."

Have any of you been told not to ask children to tidy up when having inspections?

Jackie

Pipsqueak · 09-11-2011, 07:42 PM

Well I am sure that airy fairy fart of a daft woman can offer to come round and tidy up for all the poor ickle children who are expected to learn some care and responsibility when they are asked to tidy up.

What a stupid woman.

Oh and she can come round, do the risk assessments and pop round and mop up the bumps and bruises from having a dangerous floor and then replace all the toys that get broken from having a cluttered room.

Stupid moobag (her not you)

**flowerpots** · 09-11-2011, 07:45 PM

The stupid comments this week have amazed me!

NONE of my children (minded and my own) would come and help tidy up unless asked to help.

**Dragonfly** · 09-11-2011, 07:45 PM

Totally agree with Pipsqueak, what planet is that women on

**charlieamber** · 09-11-2011, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by Pipsqueak

Well I am sure that airy fairy fart of a daft woman can offer to come round and tidy up for all the poor ickle children who are expected to learn some care and responsibility when they are asked to tidy up.

What a stupid woman.

Oh and she can come round, do the risk assessments and pop round and mop up the bumps and bruises from having a dangerous floor and then replace all the toys that get broken from having a cluttered room.

Stupid moobag (her not you)

LOL, oh love your way with words

We all on the course did argue with her, yes also mentioning the risks of trips. If I remember right she said, "oh I don't mean don't tidy up, just do it yourself and dont ask the kids" LOL

I even have a house rule poster up, one of the rules is we put away before getting more things out, and its in a very clear place

**sarah707** · 09-11-2011, 07:49 PM

We tidy up before we get the next thing out... it's called common sense!

If we didn't tidy we'd be tripping over everything

Some people really do come out with some daft things

**charlieamber** · 09-11-2011, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by sarah707

We tidy up before we get the next thing out... it's called common sense!

If we didn't tidy we'd be tripping over everything

Some people really do come out with some daft things

Other half came back home the other day just after I finished minding, he asked how long had I taken to tidy up. I said about 10 mins as I don't leave it all to the end of the day I tidy as we go alone, or else I wouldnt be able to see the floor ( def with the amount of toys the mindees took out that day LOL)

**miffy** · 09-11-2011, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by charlieamber

She said she never asks them to clean up, she starts and normally they will follow!

Jackie

Errrrr not in this house, honestly she must be away with the fairies - the kids would happily let me do ALL the clearing up!

Miffy xx

**singingcactus** · 09-11-2011, 08:09 PM

I can see I am going to be on my own here, buuuttt, I don't ask the kids to tidy up either. I start doing it and they all join in.

The schoolies I do ask though. I say to them can you pop one thing away each before you put your shoes on....and like magic they tidy everything up, most days.

No fairies here, I just model the behaviour I want. It works for me, but I get that it won't work for everyone. It's up to you how you go about your tidy up routine.

**karensmart4** · 09-11-2011, 08:12 PM

Some people live in cloud cuckoo land, we have 'tidy up time' a few times a day, all of the children help...... some try to get out of it by walking around saying, 'tidy up time' and not actually doing anything until I say,'I'll hold the box and you put the xxx's in and then we can xxxx'. They soon learn.

I was on a training day before and the leader said she doesn't think children should be expected to say please and thank you.......... excuse me

**JCrakers** · 09-11-2011, 08:28 PM

Who are these stupid people who are supposed to be giving advice but totally arsing it up.

Have they actually worked with children?

I'm getting sick of these numpties telling us what we can and can't do...****** off
If the children make a mess, the children tidy up...simples

If they don't make a mess, they tidy up anyway

It's good for them to learn and have you ever seen a 12 month old whose just learn to walk trying to step over a load of toys that have all been left out

**mummyof3** · 09-11-2011, 08:45 PM

My rules are If I didn't play with it I'm not tidying it!!

**keeks** · 09-11-2011, 08:47 PM

We have got our continuous provision resources out all day, but tidy it up to where it was in the morning (table, my awesome ikea sofa which doubles as a long play table, corners around the room etc) whenever it gets too messy.

Any other toys they want to get out I ask them to tidy up something else and put away before adding anything.

I agree that it is strange how many peculiar things people get told on courses etc. Where are these people getting these ideas I wonder!

As for helping, I had a just-turned-2 year old last week who replied "I think not!" when I suggested she help us tidy! I nearly burst out laughing, but instead was adult enough to tell her that as soon as she has tidied up she can play with the other toys she wanted out. She sat for 10 minutes watching her friends tidy and then play with the other toys, then she decided to join in with the tidy up! She had lots of praise and was then happy to play with the babies she wanted.

xx

xx