Two Can Play

Max and Emmett aren't terribly big on cleaning up. They also have a habit of simply dropping a toy they are done with, wherever that might be, or even tossing things they had on the table on to the floor, especially Emmett, I think. When we try to get them to clean up toys inevitably they both use the delaying tactic of turning it into play. Instead of them picking toys up, they try to use, for example, Muck to pick toys up and carry them to the bin, one toy at an (agonizingly slow) time. We always end up picking 99% of the toys up even when they are participating.

Today I tried to get them to really clean up by saying that any toys they didn't pick up right then and there would go down the basement. This worked for Max. He started cleaning up toys with abandon. When he started to look like he was going to stop, I picked up a toy and said, "I guess you guys want this one to go down the basement." That would immediately get a "I do play with that!" and he'd come over and take it from me and put it away. Emmett the avoider, however, knew how to play this psychological game. Instead of picking up toys and putting them away, he started picking out toys that he said he wanted to go down the basement, carrying them to the cellar door! Of course Max didn't agree with Emmett's choices and he'd shriek with every one.

Emmett... I must concede... I salute you!