How much can you logically expect from a 2 year old?

My husband was going to take L&L to Grandma's house this morning for a visit. He told them they couldn't go until the books were all put away. Well, they had pulled out at least 20 or 30 books from the cupboard & he honestly expected them to just put them away. Ummmm, you do realize they are only 2, right honey?? He proceeded to sit down & read the paper while waiting for them to clean them up... not going to happen, at least not with my two. He actually got a little ticked off at me when I helped them. Which consisted of me stacking the books in small stacks so they could pick them up & put them in the cupboard. I personally think that is all you can expect from them at this age, to help clean up, not do it all by themselves. I think he is too accustomed to having older kids to remember that these two are still just little. I try to remind him, but I don't think he is really listening to me sometimes. So, how much do you expect your two year olds to help put things away?

 

Men. Maybe he knows this but didn't feel like going to grandma's house. :laughing:

I expect my two to help. :good: I think I'm lucky in this department because I have one, Tony, that is very good (and obsessed) with having everything put in it's place before we go to bed, out, etc. :good: But I do definately expect them to at least help clean up the mess they made.

 

When my girls were about 18-20 months we started having them clean up each night after bath. They know that their books so on the shelf and their toys go in the bucket (big plastic tupperware thing). I sing the clean up song and while I do help a little, I expect that they do most of it. If I tell them to clean up, but then leave the room they won't, but if I'm there singing, clapping, helping, etc they clean up just fine. Teach your DH the 'clean up' song!!!

 

Mine are 3.5 and I'm still astonished when they put things away all by themselves (after I ask them -- they never do it without being asked).

I do expect them to clean up (though I admit many nights I clean up 80% of the mess after they're in bed -- it's just so much faster), but usually I have to get down there with them and say "I'll hold the bag open while you put the pieces in" or "I'm putting away this book, which one are you putting away?"

 

Mine 'helped' at that age----We did (and still do) tell them to "pick up X, y, or Z" and we also help, although if they are doing dolls, we will pick up blocks.....etc. We all did the same thing at that age (everyone did blocks, then dolls, etc) and around 3 they got assigned different toys, but we all were cleaning.

We clean up before we go up for bed almsot every night.

 

Hey, at least he wanted it picked up ardon:. My husband would have just left all the mess and taken them to grandmas :laughing: I do either "help" them clean up, or I tell them what to put away. "Nicky...put the green tractor and the wagon and the tree house away. Alex...you take the barnyard bingo back to it's box and put it in the cubbard" (tonight's example). I think they still need direction. Heck, my 5, 6, and 8 year olds sometimes still need direction. Men

 

QUOTE(TwinLove @ Apr 16 2009, 03:33 PM) [snapback]1276171[/snapback]
I think I'm lucky in this department because I have one, Tony, that is very good (and obsessed) with having everything put in it's place before we go to bed, out, etc.

That's Lauren!! She could honestly pick everything up and put it right where it belongs.


QUOTE(HRE @ Apr 16 2009, 07:35 PM) [snapback]1276500[/snapback]
I do either "help" them clean up, or I tell them what to put away.

This is normally what I do. We all do it together. Lauren could do it by herself, Emma :nea: not so much, she needs a lot of direction. There hasn't been an occasion where I have expected them to do it by themselves though.

 

QUOTE(tinalb @ Apr 16 2009, 03:27 PM) [snapback]1276160[/snapback]
My husband was going to take L&L to Grandma's house this morning for a visit. He told them they couldn't go until the books were all put away. Well, they had pulled out at least 20 or 30 books from the cupboard & he honestly expected them to just put them away. Ummmm, you do realize they are only 2, right honey?? He proceeded to sit down & read the paper while waiting for them to clean them up... not going to happen, at least not with my two. He actually got a little ticked off at me when I helped them. Which consisted of me stacking the books in small stacks so they could pick them up & put them in the cupboard. I personally think that is all you can expect from them at this age, to help clean up, not do it all by themselves. I think he is too accustomed to having older kids to remember that these two are still just little. I try to remind him, but I don't think he is really listening to me sometimes. So, how much do you expect your two year olds to help put things away?


I agree with you. 2 1/2's can do so many things that I think it's easy to forget how very little they still are. I do expect them to help but not to clean up all on their own. We also sing the clean up song and one helps me put one type of toys away - say the books -while the other helps DH put away something else. Rachel does a good job picking up along with us if we tell her what to work on.

 

Mine are 2yrs 8 months and they clean up. I usually have to tell them what to pick up and where to put it, but they can do it themselves. They are actually very good at it too, if they are being told what to do. My DD especially likes to sing the clean up song while shes cleaning. Books are probably the easiest thing and they certainly do that by themselves. If I say "put the books on the shelf" they will do it. It might not be in a nice neat stack, but they will be ON the shelf.

 

I expect my guys to pick up when I ask them. Kevin is pretty good at it and Patrick is not. He basically starts to whine when asked to help Kevin out. Oh well. They are only 2 after all.

 

QUOTE(Leighann @ Apr 16 2009, 08:55 PM) [snapback]1276220[/snapback]
When my girls were about 18-20 months we started having them clean up each night after bath. They know that their books so on the shelf and their toys go in the bucket (big plastic tupperware thing). I sing the clean up song and while I do help a little, I expect that they do most of it. If I tell them to clean up, but then leave the room they won't, but if I'm there singing, clapping, helping, etc they clean up just fine. Teach your DH the 'clean up' song!!!



I do the same thing.Lol. My older kids laugh at me. But I'll do whatever to get them to clean up. Twinkies like the clean up song.

 

My daughter will be 2 in a 2 months....I'm with you. They can only really help and this age...and they need alot of direction when they are doing it themselves. I always say, "Maddie, can you take the chair, the bed, and lamp back to your dollhouse." She will grab those three things and carry them back to her room and set them by her house. When she comes back out I'll give her another simple direction. It's a slow process, but she's getting the hang of it. She seems to enjoy picking up when I'm helping her anyway...like it's a game or something.

 

You teach by example!! We all do it together at this age!

Cindy