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Two schools of thought here. One being, if you sweat the small stuff, you don't have to worry about the big stuff later. Others think if you concentrate on the big stuff, and ignore the small stuff, the small stuff will eventually work itself out.
I'm in the school of thought that if you manage the small, then you don't have to worry about the big. Your situation for example. That shows a small level of irresponsible behavior on the part of your children. If you clean it for them, then they'll assume it's accepted behavior, and continue to do it. The next time they'll make a bigger mess, and you'll clean that up. Eventually all the small stuff you should have sweated, is one massive mess. Irresponsible children feel it's other people's jobs to clean up after their messes, and that doesn't just go away. That breeds into them a lack of accountability, and responsibility. I know that's a bit extreme, and I'm not insinuating you have bad children. I'm simply pointing out how It's a very slippery slope.
It's just like the guy who concentrates on the big project and let's all the smaller projects build up. Eventually he'll have a shitload of small problems to deal with. Small things grow into big things. The object is to handle them when they're small and relatively easy to handle.
If my daughters did that, I would force them to stop what they're doing, and make them clean up after themselves. I wouldn't clean up because that not acceptable behavior, and there are repercussions to their actions. I won't condone irresponsible actions, and then reward them by cleaning it up. It also helps them become independent, not always having to rely on dad to clean up their messes. Now or as young adults, into full adulthood.
Sorry for rambling on, I've read wayyyyy too many parenting books.
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