Getting kids to pick up their toys

A common frustration among parents of young children is getting them to pick up their toys. Parents often complain that their children forget to pick up the toys even after many reminders.

One mom explained how she solved this problem. Her 3-year-old son loved playing with his blocks. She asked him several times to pick up the blocks but instead he continued playing with them and eventually walked away. Although this mom felt angry, she simply said to her son, “That’s ok, I’ll pick them up.” She then picked up the blocks and put them away where her son could not get them.

She explained to her son that since she had to pick up the blocks, they would be put away for a week. This news greatly upset him. However, from that day on she found all she had to say was “That’s ok, I’ll pick them up.” and her son would quickly pick up his toys!