Hmm, give me a minute to solve this problem.

Last week I was with my four-year-old grandson and once again he was begging to use the camera on my cell phone. He loves taking pictures,  but when I get my phone back, I have 187 pictures of the floor, his lap, or the legs of a chair to delete one at a time. (Please let me know if there is a way to delete more than one at a time).   Anyway, it’s really annoying.

So, my mind went into problem-solving mode. I came up with a game. I told him, “This is your mission if you choose to accept it.” Then, I hand him my phone and give him an assignment. Take 3 pictures of toys with a face or 3 food items that you like to eat.  Find 3 things that are stinky and take a picture of them. He searches for the items,  I check his work,  delete the photos, and send him on another mission. He loves it.

I came up with a similar solution to picking up a room.  I would say, “find 3 things that are blue and bring them to me,  bring me 3 articles of clothing, or 3 things that belong in the garbage.  Then they put the items where they belong as “missions.”

In case you are worried that they will grow up and think every responsibility needs to be turned not a game, relax. My own mom used to turn everything into a game, and I turned out pretty responsible.  Anyway, ” it has worked for me.”