On Boys and Cleaning...

After reading Elisabeth's post, I decided to take the "bull by the horns" so to speak and really focus on training a certain young man, (who will remain anonymous in this post) on how to keep a bedroom clean.  You see, I trained my two older children quite a few years ago and I've been reaping the benefits of having older children who can cook, clean and care for a house as well as, if not better than I can,  which had caused me to be a little slack in the training of child #3.  After all, he is a boy and "boys will be boys" he informs me.  According to said expert, boys do NOT need to keep their bedrooms neat and tidy as they are by nature, messy.

I'm afraid I don't agree with the "expert" in this case.  Especially since I was noticing a "sloppy" work ethic creeping into other areas of his life. Keeping a room tidy is a very small, yet important step up the ladder of self-control, diligence, perseverance and a host of other character traits I want my son to possess.

I had been training my son all along, but not in the way I wanted to. You see, I faithfully told him to pick up his room and he faithfully picked up a few items, and then started playing with his Lego's or cars and well... you know how it goes...then it was time for school.  I wanted to get on with the day, so I would let it slide.  But that was only when I had the time to check his room.  Moms are really busy and too often, when a boys says his room is clean, mom says, "Great", despite knowing in her heart of hearts, that "boy's clean" and "mom's clean" are two entirely different things.

On those rare occasions when I did inspect his "clean" room, I would have to point out that library books belong in the basket, not under the bed and drawers really do need to be closed without clothes hanging out of them and boxes and papers and toys do not belong in corners...after about the fifth trip back to the "clean" room, it would finally meet my definition of "clean".  Where was I to begin?

We do not give our children an allowance for more reasons that I care to go into, therefore, money is a great motivator for child #3!  I explained to him, that EVERY, SINGLE DAY he needed to make his bed neatly, put all dirty clothing down the laundry chute, pick up all toys and place them in appropriate bins, and tidy his night stand.  When he felt his room was picked up, he was to call me and have me check it.  I would stop whatever I was doing and immediately go with him to inspect his room.  (This took a LOT of effort for me.  I like to finish what I start.)  If his room met my approval, I would give him a dime.  If on the other hand, I had to point out something that needed to be picked up, he owed me a nickle.  Each time I had to come back and it failed to pass inspection, he was fined five cents.  I made twenty five cents that first day!  I thought I was going to get rich, but, as boys tend to do, he figured he'd rather keep his nickle and get a dime, by doing the job properly the first time. I guess Mom will  have to figure out another way to get rich.