How can I get my 6 year old to clean

[Motheroffour09101216]

I have a 6 year old little girl.  She won't help around the house.  She thinks she don't have to do anything. I've tried so many things and nothing I do or my family does help.  I need help with this.  I done with her thinking she can't do anything to help me or her grandma or sister and brother.  

[Sandman2]

I have a 3 year old grandson.  He helps out all the time.  He does this because by the time he was 2, his mom started having him help.   So his experience has always been to help.  I am guessing that your child is the youngest and has had everybody helping her for the last 6 years.  Thats 6 (well really 5) years of a habit to form.  And you don't break 5 year habits overnight.   All of Specialmoms ideas are very good!!!   Start with something simple, keep it short, make it fun, and praise her.  Good luck.

[specialmom]

Don't feel alone.  Lots of kids don't like to clean up.  I probably really did not want to and tried not to when I was that age based on how much I dislike it now.  :>))  Things that help . . . make it fun.  This was suggested to me and we had fun with it . . . do a 'clean up dance'.  Put on music for 25 minutes and everyone (you, brother, sister, grandma . . . whomever is home) spends that time while music is playing straightening up.  Put away things, clean counter off, fluff pillows, etc.  Do it nightly.  You'll be amazed at how this short time in a fun way will transform your house back to neat.  Everyone participates.  You can't get mad just be encouraging or she will associate it with mom's always griping and mad at me and she will resist.  You can have an after reward like reading the favorite books, watching the night time tv show, or whatever your family likes to do.  

Also, kids like praise and rewards.  If you give her a job . . . not a huge one, she's only 6.  But give her a job.  If she completes it, she gets a bean in a jar.  When enough beans get in that jar, she gets a prize.  This can be she gets to choose the family activity, she gets a privilege, she gets an ice cream, whatever works for you guys.  And lump on the praise for EVERYTHING she does.  Even if you feel she doesn't deserve it because she SHOULD be helping and it is not praise worthy.  I grew up thinking I was the best duster in the world because my mom would just act like my cheerleader when I ran the dust rag over our shelves!  

I have sons, I like them to clean their bathroom (boys and bathrooms, yuck. They can make a mess). I do it with them.  I take one (they take turns doing it) and I start on one thing and they start on another.  We get it done super fast this way and we chat while we're doing it.  Literally, we get the bathroom clean in under 10 minutes with the two of us.  My older son is being taught to mow the grass.  My husband mows all around the edges and leaves the mower there.  My son is asked to 'finish'.  He usually has about 20 minutes of mowing. We cheer him on.  So, I'm just trying to illustrate how you can get them to do things without a fight.  

She can earn what she likes to do also.  You have to do X today in order to do Y tomorrow.  I do that with video game time for my younger son.  Frankly I hope he doesn't complete Y so I can say no video games.  ha ha.  My kids are a bit older than yours though.  

Be realistic too about the job they do  It won't be as good as you do.  You have to make allowances for that.  good luck