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| |    Take a Cheerful Approach to Cleanup Time by Dr. Benjamin Spock reviewed and revised by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. Adapted from Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care When your child is very young and you still expect her to pick up and put things away after she is through playing, you can do it as part of the play, with enthusiasm: "The square blocks go here, in big piles, and the long blocks go there. Over here, let's pretend there's a garage, and all the cars go here to sleep at night.'' By the time she is four or five, she'll probably have fallen into the habit of putting things away and enjoying it. Many times she'll do it without any reminder. But if she still needs help at times, join in sociably. If you say to a three-year-old, "Now put your things away,'' it sounds unpleasant. Even if your child enjoys doing it, you are handing her a job that practically no three-year-old has the perseverance to carry through. Furthermore, she's still at a very balky stage. Cheerfully helping her to put things away not only promotes a good attitude in her, but also is easier for you than engaging in long arguments. It's important, however, that you don't do the whole job for her. Certainly, it would be faster and easier to do just that. But you'd be teaching your child to expect you to do the cleaning up for her. Then later, if you insist that she do her part, she'll likely be difficult and resentful.
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