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March 28, 2019

39 Comments

Mum fed up with the mess turns to the internet for help.

The desperate mum shared, “My teenage son’s room is DISGUSTING!

“It’s so smelly and is probably harbouring old food and other unidentified revolting things.

“Besides burning it down, how can I get rid of the stench? Any ideas for getting rid of the mess?”

Mums share helpful advice

One mum shared, “You don’t need ideas, he does. Take away all of his electronics, and he doesn’t get them back until his room is clean. Open his window, and tell him to change his bed…the smell will go away.”

Another said, “No food, etc in room. Make HIM clean once a month and do HIS washing etc. Otherwise close the door and walk away.
Mums house rules and my brothers and I survived.”

“Make him clean his room! It’s your house and you’re the parent, you only lent him his room, he doesn’t own it unless he pays for the electricity, food and board. Regardless of that, he needs to respect the rest of the family and clean up after himself”, wrote another.

“No anything until he respects the roof you put over his head, the bed he sleeps in every night & the clothes you have bought to cloth him. Its quite easy taking control of lazy dirty teenagers. You are the boss & his mum but you are not his slave”, said another.

We loved Jen’s answer, “I got sick of asking, nagging, and screaming one day so I just casually dragged the wheelie bin the long way through the house and parking it in his doorway. I told him he had a 10 minute headstart while I had a cup of tea but after that anything on his floor was considered discarded and would be dealt with. You’ve never seen a quicker moving kid. But I don’t bluff so that probably had a lot to do with it. I’ve thrown them out of the car and made them walk home, put their dinner down the disposal and cut the cord off the PlayStation, and drowned an ipad so it may not reap the same reward in your house lol.”

Alison also had a great idea, ” If mine doesn’t keep his room clean I turn off the wifi works a treat ! Just find his “currency” they all have something that you can take off them.”

Sascha suggested, “Just get rid of the kid?? of course just joking! I find taking phone/ PlayStation works a treat. As soon as the mess is cleaned properly they can have their stuff back.”

Do you have a messy teen?

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  • I agree with Jen. The trick is when your kids are little NEVER make idle threats. make sure you always do as you say and they will cotton on very quickly that when you say X is going to happen if you dont do Y. They will know that it really will happen so they will act swiftly.

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  • Hoping my kids don’t get that bad when they’re all teens. My oldest is 13, he’s not terribly messy yet. Just a few items of clothing on the floor that need washing. I’ll solve that by putting a dirty clothes basket outside the kids’ rooms for them to use.

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  • Leave it like it….when he wants clothes that are dirty he will learn….that or chuck.it all in garbage bag and dump it in a donation bin….

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  • I wish you luck. Some teenagers are just like this and sometimes they never change even as adults.

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  • Start from scratch. Put in a busy bee day and clear the lot! Move bed around if possible. Have piles to go, to wash, to store etc.
    Lots of rules are mind boggling so have one.
    All dishes out by end of each day. Or the next day no eating in the room. One rule. One expectation.

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  • I would take away his devices also.

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  • take away all their devices and make them clean their room. otherwise tell them they have lost the privilege to use their room until they clean it themselves. alternatively parents could cave and clean it themselves.

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  • Wow! I have a lazy teen, but nothing compared to this. And, it’s good to know I’m not alone. It doesn’t offer an excuse, but it’s not just in our home. I absolutely believe in using currency, – turning off wifi, saying no to things he wants done for him, etc. Good luck!

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  • I told them I’d just throw anything on the floor away. They soon believed it when I turned up at their door with rubbish bin, shovel, gloves and mask. Been kept clean ever since.

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  • Gosh, that is really messy

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  • If it’s getting to be a health hazard, you have to do something. Confiscating electronics may be effective.

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  • Love some of these ideas, give him a time limit if it’s not clean by then start Bining it.

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  • Just leave it. He’ll work it out. When he’s run out of clothes or friends come round to visit, he’ll realise why he needs to keep his room tidy

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  • Think it’s always wise to pick our battles, never make it into a power struggle. Rather make it or connect it to something positive.

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  • Wow, definitely remove any devices. They are earned by cleaning up!

    Reply

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