There once was a little boy who never cleaned his room.  His mother warned him over and over that if he didn’t do so then the consequences would be dire; however, he still refused to pick up his laundry and put his toys back in the toy box.  Well, one dark night, while the little boy was sleeping, a large, shadowy figure came lurking out of his closet and snatched up the little boy!  The mother never saw him again.
We know you’ve all done it: Got so fed up with your kids’ messy room that you made up some crazy story about a huge monster coming to get them if they didn’t clean it or eat their vegetables.  And, we all know that most of the time it works, but what about those times that it doesn’t?  I’ve gotten a few questions from people telling me that they are trying to get organized, but they just can’t seem to get their kids to help out.  Now, keep in mind, these guidelines may differ, depending on the age and maturity level of your child. 
One of the best things to do with a child, while getting organized or cleaning, is to make it into a game.  Put in one of their favorite CD’s and tell them you want to see how much stuff they can get done before the first song ends.  When the song ends, if the task is complete, then you can reward them.  Speaking of a reward; that’s another way to get them involved.  Is your son addicted to video games?  Is your daughter hooked on her Malibu Barbie Dollhouse?  Well, reward your child for a job well done with extra minutes on the Playstation, or a new Barbie doll for their collection.  However, keep in mind that you don’t want to become dependent on purchasing things for your kid every time they clean their room, so I would suggest sticking to rewards that are free.  You can also play the, “Let’s-Help-Mommy-Game.”but that rarely works.  The rules of this game are that you simply ask your son or daughter to help you do a chore because it’s too much for you to do on your own.  As boys get older, this activity actually works best for them.  It allows them to assert dominance and show that they can help mom and be a “big boy!”  Yet, keep in mind that this technique may come back to bite you.  It’s what I call the “Begging Approach.”  Your child whines and claims that the mess is too much for them to clean up or that he doesn’t know how to do it properly, so he enlists you to help him.  Before you know it, you’re in his room picking up his toys and he’s sitting on the couch eating a popsicle and watching Spongebob.  Yep, you’ve just been conned!  The key to this technique is only using it every so often.  If you show your kids that you must rely on them to clean up the mess for you, then they will turn the tables and do the exact same thing. 
Once their room is cleaned and you have a system set in place, then it’s time to implement that system every day.  Children need a routine; it helps them to learn and it provides them with a comfortable structure that they need at a young age.  If you want your son to make his bed, then start off with some of the techniques I’ve discussed, but continue it everyday.  I hate to say it, but it’s similar to training a puppy.  You can use toys and rewards at first, but you will eventually have to take them away and let him do it on his own.  You don’t want your 16 year-old hiding under the table at Ruby Tuesday, because you’ve “praised him” out loud for eating broccoli. 
My challenge to you this week is to get your kids involved!  Use these techniques I’ve discussed and I’d love to hear about some tips of your own.  Find me on Facebook (Saving Dollars & Making Sense) and let me hear your feedback.  Thanks!