What Would You Do If Your Child Was A Hoarder?
We have a big problem at our house and I haven't found any answers. My daughter is a hoarder. I mean legit, you can't walk into her bedroom, hoarder. Any advice on what to do?
My 11-year-old daughter has always liked little things. Trinkets, stuffed animals, dolls, McDonald's toys, and anything that involves crafts. She's very creative. I wish my mind worked the way hers does. She's a great artist, a hard worker in school, and she's a competitive gymnast. The only problem is she never wants to throw anything away.
I remember she was really really upset one day shortly after her Dad and I divorced. I assumed that was what she was upset about, but no. She was upset because I had thrown away her "pretty blue paper." This "pretty blue paper" was packing paper that our couch was wrapped in. She had taken it out of the garbage and hidden it under her bed!
Any time I throw anything away, she notices, and she gets upset.
I've tried putting the situation in her hands. I've given her storage bins, I've tried to demand she has to come with a certain amount of things she has to get rid of. We've talked about donating things to kids who need it. None of it works.
I was talking to the issue with my boyfriend over the weekend and he said we need to make her watch the show "Hoarders." I brought it up to her and she said, "Dad already made me watch that. I'm not that bad. I don't have rats in my room!" Ugh. I don't know what to do! I keep trying to figure out where this psychologically comes from. I'm not a hoarder at all. No one else in our family is. I've never put great value in things. I just don't get it! For a long time I thought she would outgrow this issue and maybe she will, but I'm starting to have my doubts.
If you have been through this or have an advice, I'd love to hear it.