What is the fastest, most effective way to get your child to clean up the twenty bazillion pieces of Thomas trains, Legos, and Lincoln Logs that have been scattered all over your living room floor for the better part of the week?
Just threaten to suck them up in the vacuum cleaner. Oh yes, I did! And it worked! I have never seen a 4 year old scramble so fast in my life to save his precious treasures. And to think I’ve been asking him nicely and almost resorted to begging or even doing it myself. I’m going to milk this little trick as long as he falls for it.
Care to share some of yours?
My husband’s boss throws his staff’s belongings in the bin if they’re left in the way. I don’t know if that’s terrible or really clever.
ROFL!!! I use this one too. Lately though the baby has started crawling. I am now using the, “You don’t want your sister to choke do you!?” Lucky for all of us the answer is NO. LOL
Oh boy, I’ve done that a time or 2. Works everytime. Have a grea day! Be glad your in Mississippi. We woke up to 4 inches of snow on the ground. 🙁 Can’t wait til spring.
HA! Good one!! Stopping by from SITS! Love your blog name and header…way cool!
i say whatever works! i am pretty close to coming good on my threats to give away their stuff if rooms don’t stay picked up soon!
I could learn some lessons. I was wondering why my asking nicely didn’t work. 🙂
I’ve actually went so far as to chuck a toy into the trash can. You should see how fast they yank the sucker out and pick up the rest of their stuff.
OK, ya’ll are really coming up with some good stuff! I’m filing all of this away in my parent hack arsenal for later use!
Christina…Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate that!
I set the timer and get the girls to race and see if they can finish picking up before the timer goes off.
I’ve started charging my older boys (7) money to pick up after them. (This applies to clothes left on the floor, toilets unflushed, and their toys.)
All I have to say is, “Wow. Looks like I’m going to make some money today!” And they start working!
(Of course, they need to have a steady source of income for this to work. My boys get $2 a week. AND they’re saving up for stuff they REALLY want!)
I’m a serial lurker but had to pop my head out to let you know that the pics in your posts are waaayyy over to the right. At least for me. I’m using Firefox 3.
In your html code you have it set to “center”, maybe change that to “float:left”.
Going back into hiding now.
BTW, Love your blog!
I usse the vacuum trick with my son’s Legos a lot and he’s six so you may be able to use this one for a while!