AFTER
The girls and I have always had an agreement; they could do whatever they wanted to in their bedroom as long as the mess did not extend into the shared living space. Often times, I would regret this arrangement, as much as it helped me with keeping the rest of the home clean, just opening the door to their bedroom would fill me with frustration. "What is that CD doing on the floor? Why are there crackers ground into the carpet? Isn't that your new coat getting stepped on?" Needless to say, this has been a point of contention between us.
During my extended illness things ballooned out of control. I didn't care what they were doing in their room; I had enough on my plate just going to work and keeping us fed. Over the past two weeks, I have worked diligently to get our home back up to the clean standard we used to enjoy in the pre-illness days. I scrubbed all the surfaces, moved furniture, cleaned blinds and baseboards and windows. Things are lover-ly.
But - to my horror of horrors - I had to have the cable guy out on Saturday morning. The poor guy had to wade through the detritus of the girls' slovenly habits to get to the cable line in their bedroom. I wanted the floor to crack open and me to fall straight in. I was soooo humiliated. He nearly fell over trying to step over stuff. I could hear stuff crunching under his feet. That's when I knew: it was time to tackle Hell Room.
So, when Grace and Emily got home from their dad's last night, we made a deal: I picked up trash, Grace picked up toys and Emily picked up dirty clothes. We cleaned that room from top to bottom, even going so far as to reorganize the closet. Now *I hope* the girls will have a much easier time keeping things clean.
Or the daily beatings will commence. (insert evil laugh here) Haa aha hah ahah ha ha hah!
16 comments:
*sniff* just look at that room. It's atrocious, scandelous.... I'm certainly glad we keep ooouuurrr children's rooms immaculate and absolutely germ-free.
How much did they protest?
Anybody get spanked?
Actually, they were quite good, with the exception of frequent distracted wandering. Although, I have to admit that by the 59th time I had to tell Emily to get to work, bad words started creeping into my exhortations.
Dont it feel good to see the room so beautiful. Bless your heart...more hugs to the girls and a special hug to you.
Why does this remind me of OUR childhood sister? Food, clothes, toys, and neither one of us made the mess and didn't think it was fair that we had to clean up the other persons mess.
I'll keep my fingers crossed that they keep it clean. Although, they do need a beating daily, that just keeps them in line :)
try witholding food. Or maybe just no water or soda, geeze poor kids...bribe them.
I got to save these to show GH! And she complains about my mess! Uh... wait a sec... how old are they? Ok, I'd better not... :(
The division of tasks made what seemed an insurmountable job do-able. Kids don't understand "Clean your room." What they do understand is, "Pick up all the clothes and put them in the dirty clothes basket. Now pick up the toys and put them in the toy box." Huzzahs to Bun for cutting a gargantuan task down to kid-size. And oh, this is a vast improvement over the old method: she used to smile at the boys who came to our apartment, and they would pick up all the stuff in her room for her so she wouldn't get in trouble. :))
P.S. Along with you, I hope the "after" picture doesn't become the "before" picture after a few days!
Just one more thing. For the edification of those who didn't know us when I was a young divorced Mom. My two girls shared a bedroom. Although the word "shared" hardly describes the relationship. I used to call the girl's room...are you ready? The PIG HOLE. I read the same book, the one that says to let children define their own space. That is why I am an expert on children and always have something so brilliant to say where their discipline and raising is concerned. (Yes, that is a joke, feel free to laugh.)
kids will be kids till they grow up and then sometimes they are still kids in some ways.
Dream on gal:) My mother, stepfather, and me had the same arrangement, but he was the one moving seven year old me with a shovel as my mum dumped him...
Hoooo, do I ever remember the tension on 'room-cleaning day'. I'd hear angry voices and loud thumps which vibrated the floor and the wall between our rooms. I was so frightened. I deliberately cleaned my room as slowly as possible, because if I stepped out before Jamie and Laura were done, I might get caught in the path of somebody's rampage. And then there was the hateful, homocidal glares... bone-chilling.
Did you all know that I used to have three sisters? That's right, and they all shared the bedroom, sadly one of them didn't survive 'room cleaning day' 1984.
I still miss you Gertrude.
I have to say my kids bedroom looked worse until yesterday. I went out of town and my ffriend Lauri watched the kids for two days and a night. When I came home my house looked awesome and the kids rooms were so clean. It pains me to say they won't willingly clean for me. Though I am pleased they will at least do it for others.
Well done, tell your girls their room is beautiful.
My sis threatens her boys that she'll give / throw away all their stuff.
You never see two little boys clean so fast, hahaha...
Yeah, I only wish threats worked with my girls. But they are doing a really good job of keeping it clean. Last night it got a little messy and it only took me like two tirades to get it cleaned up. Imagine!
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