By Jessica Marie
Clothes strewn across the floor. A wild stampede of stuffed animals thrown across the carpet. Naked Barbies covering the path to the bed as that all-too-familiar cry cuts through the quiet: “MOM, I CAN’T FIND MY…” We’ve all been there. Our kiddos tend to misplace their beloved stuffies because of a mess they have caused. We unleash our primal cry to the universe “”WHY WON’T THEY JUST KEEP THINGS CLEAN!”
Exchanges like this one (so many exchanges), 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 you’re done, encourage everyone to pitch in and clean up together. Make it a celebration of cleanliness!
Psychology Today found that “Kids with chores have boosted self esteem and valuable life skills that will help them as adults.”
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 and your little ones tidy and playful days and fewer primal screams!
ABOUT THE BOOK: When Lucy can’t find her green tutu or her cash register or…anything, really, she blames the Mess Monster for her messy room. But when Mom says she can’t play soccer anymore if she doesn’t find her cleats, it’s time for drastic action: cleaning up the mess to drive the Mess Monster away.
Jessica Marie is a first-time children’s book author, but longtime maker of messes. She graduated from the University of Kansas with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education, and taught Kindergarten for several years in Texas. You can follow Jessica Marie on Instagram and Twitter (X), and visit her website to learn more about her Mess Monster series.
