A Neat and Clean House vs Children

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-17-2007
A Neat and Clean House vs Children
2597
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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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2010
Mon, 08-02-2010 - 7:12pm
And?
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-07-2003
Mon, 08-02-2010 - 7:15pm

This conversation reminds me of one of the food pairings my host family in Germany served. Spaghetti and applesauce. I have no idea why spaghetti was always (always!) served with applesauce, but it was. When I asked why, they told me something like-- well, that's just always how we serve it.

ETA: And it was surprisingly good together.




Edited 8/2/2010 7:16 pm ET by geschichtsgal
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2010
Mon, 08-02-2010 - 7:15pm
Please let me know what you saw in those ingredients that were so bad.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2010
Mon, 08-02-2010 - 7:16pm
I do know how to make rice and beans and that would not be a meal for me.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-07-2003
Mon, 08-02-2010 - 7:19pm
I don't really have a recipe any more, I've made them so many times. Usually, I saute some onions and garlic, add chicken broth and the beans. Add whatever veggies are on hand towards the end-- carrots and hot peppers are always good. A can of tomatoes also works well. Add salt and pepper and serve over rice. Sometimes if I have salsa in the refrigerator, I'll toss that in. And if I have sausage or bacon/bacon grease, I might throw a little bit of that in for flavoring.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2005
Mon, 08-02-2010 - 7:20pm

<>

Apparently. What we've been asking is: WHY NOT?




Edited 8/2/2010 7:23 pm ET by finally.me




Avatar for turtleemom
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-25-2007
Mon, 08-02-2010 - 7:20pm

I thought you had listed the ingredients in Ragu to show how

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2010
Mon, 08-02-2010 - 7:22pm

Who has said that?

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2010
Mon, 08-02-2010 - 7:24pm
Well, I don't really remember what was on the list, except for sugar.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2010
Mon, 08-02-2010 - 7:25pm
Which ingredient was bad?

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