“That shirt on the floor will not go into the hamper by itself.” You probably heard your mom say that to you countless of times when you were young, and now that you are a mom yourself, you’ve found yourself using the same line on your children.

Where there are children, there’s bound to be a mess somewhere. However, it's not the parents' responsibility to clean up after every mess made, but rather to train their kids to be responsible about their space and belongings. The value of teaching children to pick up after themselves goes beyond having an organized home or having fewer concerns for you or the household help. Children who were taught to pick up after themselves early in life develop a sense of responsibility, which will serve them well from their school days to the time they become part of the workforce.

If you’re having a little difficulty getting the youngsters to hang that wet towel or to make their beds in the morning, here are a few tips that may help:


(Photo by Michael Newton via Flickr Creative Commons)