We're playing a game at home today

I read this off a St Nicks' senior's Facebook status:

"We're playing a game at home today. 

It's called Every Thing Has Its Place So Let's Freakin' Put Them Back Where They Belong."

Following that was an entire string of 'likes' and comments from what looked like other mums with similar experiences. I was hugely amused.

Two things popped out.
Firstly, it's the school holidays, i.e. kids are at home more than usual.
Secondly, you mean parents have to 'play a game' or 'remind' to get their kids to keep their stuff?

Back in my days, my brother and I would be so dead if we didn't put our stuff back to where they belong. Even if it was just 1 tiny storybook or cup or sock or pencil. And we did not hang around to wait for reminders and/or to test the boundaries.

My folks would not reprimand the maid (we always had a maid), and such transgressions would clearly and solely be our problem... with extreme consequences. *gulp*

In fact, I was so well-trained that I would spend a couple of holiday afternoons rearranging my book shelves. Sometimes, arranging the books according to languages, or the alphabet, or book height, or categories. Other times, I would be clearing out the old stuff. I don't think my mother ever specifically told me to do this. I just wanted to do it. Perhaps, it's because my folks do it from time to time too. Monkey-see monkey-do.

After a while, I began to spend the afternoons rearranging the furniture in my room. I also painted my room (and the rest of the apartment plus some furniture) with my father. Later, during my uni days, I would paint my dorm room and furniture, re-line the flooring etc, before every new school year.

I think nagging at the kids, e.g. to put back the stuff to where they belong, doesn't work.

Everyone ought to learn the concept of being '自动'.
What's '自动' in English? Is there a good translation for this? As such, if you were 'English-educated', how do you learn the concept of '自动'?

Making sure that the kids know (i) how to do so, and (ii) the extreme consequences of not doing so, is much more effective.

人，是贱的。 =))