Guest Post by Jessica Marie
See the stacks of dirty clothes surrounding us, the carpet is covered in a sea of toys. (making me wonder, did we ever have carpet?) While we play the Floor is Lava to avoid the naked Barbies. I look down at my overwhelmed yet curious daughter. “It wasn’t me!” my daughter proclaims. “it’s The Mess Monster! He’s done it again.”
Exchanges like this one, inspired my picture book, The Mess Monster, in which Lucy hunts for lost soccer cleats (and the Mess Monster) with her trusty sidekick Max the dog. In the end, Lucy discovers the real culprit who made the mess: herself.
These recurring and less-than-tidy habits of both my daughter and I led me to The Mess MOMster, where Lucy and her mom clean up the car, which is suspiciously full of grown-up trash like coffee cups and makeup.
When caregivers are at the end of our rope, we sometimes use negative consequences to get our kiddos to clean up. What if that negative consequence was transformed into something playful that makes the task more enjoyable for kids and adults alike? Here are the Mess Monster’s best tips for turning clean-up time into fun time:
Add an incentive to make clean up time more fun. It doesn’t have to be big; it just has to matter to your child. Stickers, Small toys or games could be used.
Make it a challenge: Set a timer for 5 minutes and see how many toys you can pick up.
Incorporate pretend play: What would a monkey look like when cleaning up toys? What sounds would they make? How about other animals?
Start small: Pick one area to organize at a time. For example, work on a game shelf or put away the blocks.
Clean up as you go: Put away one toy or game before you start playing with another.
Make it a dance party: Put on some music and clean while the song is on. Can you put all the blocks in the bin before the song is over?
Do a little bit daily: Set up a short time to clean each day, rather than trying to do it all at once.
To keep your desk tidy, whether at school or home, only keep the things you really need there.
In the car, don’t let stuff pile up. Take things out of the car each time you come home.
On special occasions, keep a trash bag handy when opening presents. When your done, encourage everyone to pitch in and clean up together. Make it a celebration of clean!
I hope that this series (which also includes Mess Monster in Love and A Mess Monster Christmas) will help families name and tame the Mess Monsters that lead to piles of stuff, lost items, and creeping clutter. While your house may not have a cute fuzzy monster wreaking havoc, I’ll bet you’ve been there struggling with the mess.
Wishing you tidy and playful days with your little ones!
Jessica Marie is the author of the Mess Monster series and Finding my ROAR! She graduated from the University of Kansas with a Masters in the field of Early Childhood Education. She taught in Texas but now lives in Kansas City, Kansas with her 10-year-old daughter and 3 dogs. Find out more about her books at JessicaMarieAuthor.com.
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