How to teach your kids to be tidy?

Wherever he goes, his 'tools' are following him. 

Toys, toys.. a big headache. He never knows how to place toys properly in their boxes after playing

Read books are seldom put tidily in their original place

A very common sight..books and stationeries strewn on his desk

His arts work chucked behind the computer monitor

Can mothers train their kids to be tidy if they themselves are not? I am not a very tidy person,actually. Yet, I cannot tolerate mess.  Talking about mess.. they are abundant in my home, some made by me, some by my kids, Wyng is the culprit, most of the time.

The thing is I clear my own mess but who are going to clear those made by my kids? Mothers? No, absolutely not! If mothers continue to clear for them, when are kids going learn to be tidy themselves? Then, what are mothers, who stay at home, supposed to do with these mess?

Wyng is a mess-maker. The pictures tell a thousand stories.  There is worse mess than these. If only my eyes are my camera as I'm greeted with mess everyday, at his room.

I don't clear these mess unless it's one of those once-every-few-months 'cleaning up'. And when I do that, Wyng is going to be in for great trouble.  There will be flinging of stuff, useless most of the time, in the air as Mom will be sieving through bits of papers, empty boxes, pieces of broken erasers, pencils and other stuff which are not supposed to be where they are found.  During these times, I will make sure he puts those books back at their proper shelves.  Certain stationery stuff is in toy boxes or what not will be dug out and placed at appropriate places.  At times, lazy Wyng will just simply place an item and he will be reprimanded if ever Mom goes through that place and finds the same item he is asked to put it.

I will make sure Wyng clears his mess or untidy desk and shelf once every few weeks. If Mom is not so preocuppied, he will be reminded sternly to tidy them up quite frequently.  He seldom does it on his own without any reprimand.

I have done these reminding and reprimanding countless times and I will be doing these countless times again until this guy knows how to stay tidy. At least, he should learn to clear a mess after making it.

Lesson to learn for Mom is to be tireless in reminding and reminding even if reprimanding has to follow. Kids don't learn fast enough in this aspect, sadly.  So, this just means stress and follow-up for Mom.  Who says being a Mom is easy?