One of the nice things about having so many days of school cancellations is that I've been able to catch up on a lot of the chores I had planned for Christmas break and then pre-empted when we got tickets to the Fiesta Bowl. As you can see from yesterday's post, I've really accomplished a lot around here. What you haven't seen is any mention of the annual ritual of cleaning and organizing the kids' rooms (You really ought to click and read that entry as opposed to this one. It's a lot funnier). That's because I haven't felt like it. But, now that the laundry is caught up, the pantry is organized, and the kitchen and bathroom are clean; I'm running out of excuses. So, today I grabbed several empty boxes and laundry baskets and went up there in a half-hearted attempt to clean the girls' room. (I start there because there are three of them in a room and none of them are as interested in keeping things neat-unlike their brother who likes to keep his room picked up-yay!)
What I found up there infuriated me to the point that these girls are getting their junk cleaned and thrown away on a scale I previously would not have thought myself capable. Why? Because I went up there and in the ruins of the endless mess of toys, games, and doll accessories I found my favorite Weird Al CD and it had been stepped on and broken in half. Let us all bow our heads in a moment of silence...As I cradled the precious pieces in my hands shouting "Why God, why?!" I began grabbing junk in their room and throwing it into the trash bags hand over fist with nary a thought of "but I remember when..." or "but so-and-so gave this to her for (fill in the special occasion)." Nope, this time I've finally had it.
Natalie likes to whine that her room would be just fine if it weren't for her sisters. While that may be true in part, the fact of the matter is that I help her clean her room over and over to no avail about four times a year and she's getting too old for that. I've made her step-by-step cleaning lists, given her more toy bins to keep things organized, and taken so many privilages from her that she hasn't played her new DS or a computer game since we got back from Arizona. Nothing has worked. And so, in retaliation for such a very personal attack on MY property, I'm grabbing a garbage bag and getting to work. She may not thank me, but I know somewhere the spirit of my poor Weird Al CD will rest a little more peacefully.
6 comments:
I get some of my best cleaning and decluttering done when I'm upset about something. It must be the adrenalin pumping or something.
My daughter (age 5) also has a very difficult time keeping her stuff in order. If you come up with any ideas to help let me know.
Melessa, you are doing the right thing. If you have ANY qualms, just put the stuff in a huge black garbage bag, then hide it somewhere like the attic or garage. Maybe someday in the future it could be something they could earn back...the chance to choose three things, then donate the rest to Goodwill or whatever.
jen-She's 9 and even magical word "accountable" hasn't done much for her. I loved the very detailed list I made for her (1. make bed, 2. clothes in hamper, etc...) and I think it would have helped me a lot. But beyond not knowing how to clean, she just flat out doesn't want to, and I haven't stumbled across the right motivator yet.
anon-Thanks! It's good to know I'm on the right track with this.
Wow -- you are a cleaning machine this week. Not a bad way to deal with cabin fever . . .
You were right - the Barbie post was very funny (loved the magnetic prego belly), but this one had me laughing too. I'm so sorry about Weird Al. Is nothing sacred?!
My kids hate it when I "help" clean their rooms. I get a perverse thrill out of tossing things.
anne-This is what I would have been doing during Christmas break had I not been driving to and from Arizona. I like to think of this ice storm as God's way of making up that loss to Boise St., but the 95,000 people in the state without power might not take too kindly to me if it were true. (And I promise, my ego really isn't that big.) But, if I had it to do over again, I would still have hit the open road right after Christmas and just lived with the mess until Spring Break.
julie-That first one is probably one of my better pieces of writing. After the day I spent in the girls' room, I understand that perverse thrill all too well.
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