Tidy up! How can we teach our children to be tidy?

Order is essential for the learning and development of all people, but above all of the youngest.

Why is order important?

Being tidy generates security, helps us organize ourselves and organize the learning and knowledge we acquire day by day, and helps us understand it.

From a very young age it would be ideal to teach them to be tidy, but how can we do it?

How can we teach them to be tidy?

• Create a schedule for daily habits: hygiene, sleep, meals that is the same every day, although there may be some flexibility during holiday periods or weekends.
• If possible, it would be good for each member of the family to have a personal space and for everyone to know which one is theirs. Their section of the closet, their drawers for clothes, for toys, where to play and keep their personal belongings.
• Depending on the age, but above all for the youngest, it is important that everything essential is at their height and that they can reach it, so they will not need the help of their parents or older sibling to get it, and we will foster autonomy
• Keep toys and personal belongings always in the same place and in a logical order
• All members of the family should carry out some household task adapted to their age.
• Teaching them to put things away is also essential, that is, whenever we change activity we should put away what was done first.

Parents as a role model

For children, we parents are a role model to follow, which is why it is important that if we want to teach them to be tidy, we must be tidy ourselves too, since they will repeat what we do. That is why we must show them how we clear the table, make the bed, keep our room tidy, etc.

Establishing schedules and routines

For all this it is necessary to establish schedules and routines to foster habits. Children need to know what is going to happen next, since this generates security in them. That is, establishing a time for meals, for play and for sleep, among others.

Order generates autonomy

The established order generates autonomy since knowing where each one keeps and has their own belongings allows them to reach them on their own and not have to constantly ask for help.

And above all, praise your child for every sign we see that they are becoming more tidy and responsible.