As parents, everyone can agree that toys and clothes tend to accumulate. The work is to keep everything tidy. However, perhaps one of the most difficult tasks for parents is to teach children how to properly care for their clothing and other items they own, as it requires much time to combine it with all the other day’s activities and hobbies.
As parents, we teach our children that we want them to be responsible and learn how to care for what they have been given, but sometimes it is not that easy. That is why it is crucial to begin early to ensure children find it entertaining and do not experience huge pressure.
Not only are you encouraging the proper care of toys and clothes now, but you are also equipping them with valuable tips for life that they will use throughout their lives. Whether it is their favorite action figure or a cute dress bought from the best store for kids clothes, children should learn how to take good care of their things.
When they do, you will find fewer toys broken and fewer clothes torn or lost, thus saving money, which children will learn to be responsible for.
1. Lead by Example
Kids are great imitators. They copy what happens around them, particularly from parents or those they closely relate with. Teaching your children to be responsible for their things is not difficult, especially when you set a good example of how you handle your property.
This just makes them follow your example when they look at you washing some clothes or tidying up after using an object.
While explaining how to fold clothes, explain why and how it helps to keep clothes neat and free from wrinkling. If you have a designated place to put your shoes, tell how it helps to avoid them getting misplaced or dirty.
When sorting toys found inside your home, let the children help you sort them according to type or size to make cleaning part of the play.
This method is effective because children always seek to emulate their parents. It is also important to note that if you respect the items in one way or another, they will reciprocate the same way.
2. Make Cleanup Fun and Interactive
If you’ve ever tried to transform chores into some sort of a game, you know how much of a difference it can make. Instead of yelling at your kids to pick up toys or put away their clothes, why not try making it into some kind of game?
You can also give it a time limit and tell them whoever cleans up first or who cleans most toys and puts them in the right bin wins. And through music, make it seem like you are doing it more by choice rather than it being a chore to be performed.
It is also possible to encourage a reward for maintaining good behavior in a specific setting. For instance, you can use a sticker chart, and whenever they have cleaned for a number of days, they earn a sticker and are then rewarded with a special treat or toy.
Ensure that you embrace encouragement from the children throughout the process. If you manage to make cleanup fun, your children are going to start looking at cleanup as something they must do every day.
3. Teach the Value of Their Belongings
Children can be very careless with their belongings if they don’t appreciate the worth of property. Informing them about how toys and clothes are made, where they are produced, and how much they cost helps them become more responsible for their belongings.
Still, for toys, tell them many children are not lucky to be surrounded by so many entertaining objects. It could even be a great time for the child to be explained about giving away toys that are not used anymore.
It would seem that when children understand the process of creating the products they possess better, they may be more careful with them. Teaching them to value what they have also helps inculcate a sense of appreciation and reduces the tendency to constantly ask for new items.
4. Create Designated Spaces for Their Items
Parents probably feel frustrated when their kids’ toys or clothes are messy most of the time because they don’t have a place to put them.
Teach your child to keep things neat and clean by ensuring that his/her belongings have places assigned to them. This could be bins or baskets for toys and a couple of low drawers for clothing so that they can easily bend and pick things and put them away on their own.
Labeling can also make organizing storage containers easier. It can be for toys inside the house, sports equipment, or shoes—just labeling it makes children aware of where things should be put. If every object was in its proper place, the task of the child to keep things in order would be far easier.
5. Encourage Responsibility with Gentle Reminders
New habits take time and practice to learn, and it is normal for children to require such prompting. It is okay for children to forget, and instead of scolding or spanking them for failing to clean a toy or take care of clothes, one should be patient and remind them gently. Some possible examples include the following: “I notice that you have finished building with your Legos.”
If your child dropped clothes on the floor, just tell him or her that your clothes can become dirty or crumpled and must be properly hung or folded. This way, gently, they can impart lessons that will set prompting that will see them own their belongings with pride.
Final Thoughts
It is never easy to teach children how to become responsible for their belongings, especially toys and clothes, but the effects are always so rewarding. Moreover, there will be less toys lost or damaged, and less clothes stained, ripped, or worn out, saving time and money for replacement.
Whether it is the favorite indoor toys for kids you are purchasing or a new piece of clothing, these lessons will go a long way in ensuring that your children start to regard their items with more respect.
Sandy D