In today’s society teenagers have lots going on. Whether studying at school, completing home work, attending after school clubs and activities, visiting friends or socialising they often feel like they have a lot on their plate. Couple the stress of school with teenage angst and anxieties and it’s easy to understand why teenagers tend to get in a ‘strop’ when asked to clean their bedrooms – something that earlier on in their life was always done for them.
However, as parents we know that keeping a tidy room is much more than just a ‘pointless chore’ and that having a tidy and well organised space to spend your time in can help to bring some balance to daily routine rather than further the chaos. Our children aren’t as likely to see it that way though, so here are some tactics that you can use to encourage them to keep their room tidy.
Practice what you preach
If you aren’t setting a good example yourself then your argument is bound to fall down with an argumentative teenager ready to pick holes. Maintaining a positive and orderly approach to your home will have a positive impact elsewhere and when your teenager strolls up to their messy bedroom through a meticulously tidy and well-kept house they will know that they have some work to do!
Respect their property
Even though you probably paid for everything in their room, teenagers can be fiercely protective over their property. Tearing down posters, packing away personal belongings in unfamiliar places and generally intruding can really get their backs up and won’t help solve the problem. Instead try picking out some shelving or a wardrobe that they like, involving them in the process and agreeing at the time where certain items will live. This will mean when you do help clean their room for them they’ll know where everything is.
Lay ground rules
Your teenager should know exactly what is expected of them. Rules like bringing plates down after they have eaten need to be followed, otherwise they will be banned from eating in their bedrooms. Dirty washing needs to be put in the laundry basket or it won’t be cleaned. Offering money to encourage your teenager to clean their room can work but be careful not to overdo it.
A problem shared...
If your teenagers share a bedroom then you should make it clear to them that they are both responsible for any mess that you find. They will most likely shift the blame to each other so holding them both to account will encourage them to work together and even split chores between themselves, especially if you threaten to take away both of their pocket money.
Do you have any special tactics to encourage your teenager to maintain their bedroom? Tweet us at @TimeForYouGroup and let us know.
