At What Age Should A Child Be Responsible For Their Room?

Because I have always been a glutton for punishment I have always expected certain things from the kids and been pretty cruisey on others. I only have two hard and fast rules, they are Bed Time is 8.30, unless your very little or over the age of 14 then it is 10.30- you do not come out of your room for fear of death after those times unless you have slept a good 7 hours (more preferably).That and do what I ask you to do when I ask you to do it. Cleaning bedrooms has always been in the latter rule book. I may not ask for three days because the room does not need it or I may ask several times in one day.

Lately however it seems that between Mr Cheeky and the girls' room there has been no habit of picking up after themselves, not a very good one at any rate. So I wondered to myself when I cleaned Mr Cheeky's room today Is it unreasonable to expect a three year old to keep their room clean? I have always tended to think awwwww they are still so cute and 'wittle', but I am the only one and making a rod for my own back (of this, I am aware).

The few I have asked this question to all seem to believe TWO years old is an appropriate age to be responsible for their own room. It isn't considered child labour! Who would have thunk it! I have also never been one for the bigger kids dealing with the babies in the house, though getting a drink or sandwich for toddlers has been acceptable whilst I have dealt with the babies demands,even then I felt like an evil witch, though lately I have appreciated and even asked Biggest Miss and The Man Child to play with Littlest Miss each afternoon whilst I cook dinner or finish off what ever job it is I MUST get done. So expecting my three year old to pick his crap up isn't so bad after all. By my standards, I am aware that by others it never would have been or even is a bit mean and each to their own.

Mr Cheeky's room inevitably looks like the first picture at the end of the day and it starts out like the second picture. 

When I talk to people starting out having kids I always say do your self a favour and get them to pick up after themselves it is not 'mean' to expect them to Though I have realised I have not taken my good advice... A lot of the mess in Mr Cheeky's room is clothes the toys have been culled and most 'live elsewhere'. So I am going to bite the bullet and EXPECT him to clean his room for now on.

What do you think? What age is the right age for your child? Please leave a comment (there is no captcha) and let me know how you work it. :)