One of the reasons my Save Your Breath CD exists is because the requesting of my son to do his part to maintain the cleanliness and/or order of his room and/or himself was constant. I understand it. I remember being a kid and thinking cleanliness and order was something adults worried (needlessly) over. You and I now know the reasons for these ‘things to do’.

Go on and explain the reasons why bacterial infection and mold infestation are to be avoided. Show graphic pictures if necessary! Dirt and its accompanying foreign microbes, foci and fungi are fun playmates for VERY short periods of time! The Golden Rule comes into play. Smells. ‘Stink unto others as you would have others stink unto you!’ Have they ever smelled a skunk or rotten egg? No? Help them with that. Teenagers don’t mind being as eyesore but that smell thing works!

Of the foundational ‘work ethic’: this begins a certain key element…doing a job well done. Our first job (from childhood to the grave), ‘caring for self’, begins the ‘How to’ basic first guide for doing a job well…clean neck, ears, brushing teeth long enough…

Tell them "establishing habits for this basic care of ourselves enhances our ‘good health’ experience…keeps us out of the doctor’s office and reduces the number of needle pricks one must endure". Tell them that this care for themselves helps them to grow up (significant infections would impede or stop their growth) and be grown-ups! Then no one can make them take a bath again! They’ll like that but…we know that… by then…it will be too late.

How do/did you get your kids to clean up?