A Neat and Clean House vs Children
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| Tue, 07-27-2010 - 8:35am |
For those of you who like a neat and clean house, how do you keep it that way with children?
I find that if I am tied to goal of having a neat and clean house, I become a raging shrew against my children as they proceed to undo all the neatness I have worked so hard to attain. If I made a "neat and clean house" my goal, my children would not have their messy projects that take days/weeks to complete. My children would not pick up a book (casually left out)as they walk through the family room and browse through- discovering once again the mother actually knows about a few good books. I would let them watch more tv/computer time, as they don't make things as messy when they do. I would squash their ideas if I thought it would make too much of a mess. I wouldn't let them cook/experiment in the kitchen- as it is usually more work for me to clean up after they have "cleaned up". So, how do you inspire creativity and imagination in a neat and clean house? Are you on top of them to put things away as soon as they are done even if it is temporary? Where do you put the legos?....... Have you ever allowed them to take over the living room with all of their toys arranged in a city complex (thomas the train things were the Metro, legos and blocks were the buildings....)? How long would it stay up? Would let it be up for the summer so they could add to and change tings around as they got new ideas? Or allowed them to take over half of the family room for a month+ while they build and live in a beaver lodge (using all the empty shoe and other boxes and some that weren't empty)? Even if you have to walk around it everyday to get to the kitchen? Or do you require that all toys be put away everyday?

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My general rule is that I don't do leftovers, ever.
I think that it is very easy for most kids to figure out that there are different rules for different situations. Things are done differently at home, at the day care center, at school, at grandma's etc.
Now if a kids were catered to in all situations their entire childhood then I could see it having long term consequences. But the chances of that happening are pretty slim. Most kids get a lot of experience learning that they are not the center of the universe even if mom makes them their favorite meal every night.
Do you know anyone who is rude, stupid and crazy like that?
IDK, I am not too worried. When we eat out sometimes I'll have YDD eating her own meal I brought from home and ODD picking at her food and only eating a little bit. I doubt either of them will grow up to be rude, stupid or crazy.
Ten Rules for Being Human
Malcolm Gladwell Blink
I like that. But if that's the case, and we know you aren't doing the work in PDs house, how is it you can tell her "that's sure an awful lot of unnecessary work" in reference to what she's doing?
Ten Rules for Being Human
Malcolm Gladwell Blink
Actually he is not a fussy eater. In our 28+ years of marriage he has never gone the peanut butter and jelly route.
His one exception is onion, which he told me. He not only hates onions he cannot even stand the smell so I only prepare onions at home when he is gone.
It really depends on the dynamics of the family and the individual in that family. If I had catered to YDS - he would only eat pizza, pasta (no sauce) and pancakes. He needs to branch out. So, we introduce new foods all the time and over time he has expanded his palette. If I had just given him what he likes, he would never have expanded his palette voluntarily.
The parents in any given situation know *their* situation better than anyone else (especially on a board). They know what works in their household.
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