I'm trying something new. And I reeeeeeeally hope it works. I'm tired of walking past bedrooms and shutting the doors because I don't want to look at the mess. Seriously, I thought I'd at least have until their teenage years for this time. Yes, I tell my kids to clean their rooms, and yes I tell them to put away their laundry, but I feel like I'm having to say it ALL the time. And if I'm not completely specific as to what I'm asking them to do then they just won't do it. I can't say "please go clean your room" and expect a clean floor, a made bed, laundry put away, dresser straightened, because I didn't say those exact words. It's beyond annoying. When I say go clean your room, for heavens sake, I want it all clean. Is that too much to ask?

Here's my plan. My kids are VERY competitive with eachother. Like they have to race to the top of the stairs everytime. Maggie won't let Ty watch her do her homework because she doesn't want him to know what she knows. Anytime we approach the front door they all make a beeline for it because they want to be the first one in. It gets kind of old, but whatever. I'm turning their competitive spirits in my favor.

It's all about this little sign, combined with a bit of bribery.

A couple days a week I'll do a bedroom check without them knowing when it will be. If they have the cleanest room, they get the sign on their doorknob and a little treat. It doesn't sound like much, but knowing them I think it will be just enough to get them to actually CLEAN and not just scoop and dump, and shove and cram. Hopefully.

You might notice the award is for the "cleanest" bedroom, not the "clean" bedroom. I'm not expecting miracles overnight. But I'm hoping eventually they'll learn to be more thorough in order to beat the competition. Afterall, if they want the tootsie pop, they gotta step up their game, right?

I'm starting today, and they have no clue it's happening.

Here, here to competition and BRIBERY! - a desperate mom's best friend.