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Comment by sgtnoodle | Hacker News Reader

I make my 3 year old participate in cleaning up her toys. I always volunteer to help her, and we do it together. We do it consistently enough so that it's a habit, and she rarely complains. She visited her cousins recently and said, "those boys are very messy. They should clean up their toys!"

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And you desire this to continue? Isn’t she just mindlessly parroting what you say?

You sound like you enjoy your freedom to live in squalor. Did you know that clutter leads to stress and anxiety? I teach my kid to fight for worthy causes, you're describing self-defeating pettiness.

She's mindlessly parroting what I say, anyway.

Might as well be something that's appreciated even as an adult :-)

Then what happens if you ask her why she is saying the stuff she says?

I just asked my daughter why it's important to clean up her toys. She said it's a good thing to do. I asked her why it's a good thing to do. She said it's a good idea to clean up before nap time so that there isn't stuff all over the floor for people to trip on and get owies.

Okay cool, imo the desire to avoid hurting her feet is a good justification. What does she say if you ask her, “Are there good reasons for not cleaning up the toys?”

You should try interacting with kids, that is how they learn :)

No, she has a mind with her own thoughts and emotions. Most children aren't zombies.

And you know this how?

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