I’m struggling with getting my kids to keep their rooms tidy and stay on top of their schoolwork. I’ve heard positive reinforcement can be effective, but I’m not sure how to implement it. Any tips or strategies that have worked for other parents? I’d prefer not to use punishments if possible.
I’m just starting to teach my 5-year-old about tidying up. It’s been a mixed bag so far. Some days, they’re excited to help. Other days, it’s a struggle. I’ve been trying to make it fun with little games, like racing to put toys away before a timer goes off. But I’m not sure if that’s teaching the right habits long-term.
Has anyone found a good balance between making organization fun and teaching responsibility? I’m curious how other parents handle this, especially as kids get older. Do the games and rewards still work, or do you need different strategies?
With my kids, we’ve had good results with a responsibility system. They get points for keeping rooms tidy and finishing homework. Points add up to fun things like movie nights or small treats.
It took some time, but now they often clean up without reminders. They like seeing their point totals grow.
For homework, we break big projects into smaller tasks. Finishing each part earns points. This helps them stay motivated and not get overwhelmed.
Sometimes they forget or have off days. That’s okay. We just start fresh the next day. The system isn’t perfect, but it’s helped create more positive habits around organization in our house.
Sticker charts worked well for us. The kids picked their own rewards, which made them more invested.
As they got older, we switched to a weekly allowance tied to completing chores and homework.
Both methods helped build good habits over time.
I’ve been there with my own kids. What worked for us was a mix of things. We started with a simple star chart on the fridge. The kids earned stars for tidying their rooms and finishing homework on time. They could trade stars for small rewards they chose themselves.
As they got older, we switched to a point system. Points could be used for things like extra video game time or choosing our weekend activity. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, but it helped create some good habits.
One thing that really helped was letting them have some say in how we organized things. My daughter came up with the idea of using different colored baskets for sorting her stuff. My son preferred using labels on his drawers. When they felt like they had some control, they were more likely to keep things tidy.
Remember, what works for one kid might not work for another. It took some trial and error to find what clicked for each of my teens. 
I’ve found turning chores into a game works pretty well with my 11-year-old. We have a ‘cleanup challenge’ where we set a timer and see how much we can tidy in 10 minutes. It’s become a fun family activity.
For schoolwork, we use a simple chart where my kid earns points for completing assignments on time. They can trade points for small rewards or extra screen time. It’s not perfect, but it’s helped create some positive habits around staying organized without too much nagging.