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: 01-08-2009
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 9:40am
Verbing nouns weirds language.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-04-2009
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 9:48am
I can't decide if I love or hate your for that. :)

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Kitty

"If you can't annoy somebody with what you write, I think there's little point in writing."-- Kingsley Amis, British novelist, 1971 t .

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-09-2010
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 9:49am

one of the many websites I use is actually "couponing 101" lol


Polkadots&FlipFlops

Polkadotandflipflops

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2009
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 9:53am
actually, adding a little bit of sugar to the spaghetti sauce cuts down on the acidity of the tomatoes. I do it all the time, then it may also be that I like my sauce a little on the "sweeter" side.
Avatar for turtleemom
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-25-2007
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 9:53am

It just seems odd that kids living in a sparkling clean home and eating all those home cooked meals, woufl be sick so often.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2009
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 9:55am

different strokes, LOL!

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2009
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 10:03am
actually, "booking" has become an accepted term in our middle school and many others. It's when one student walks by another and swipes the books out of their hands onto the floor.
Avatar for rollmops2009
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2009
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 10:05am
I am a bit stunned that this is such a common occurrence that there is a word for it.

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Men can only be happy when they do not assume that the object of life is happiness.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-05-2000
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 10:06am

Joy has done that but I haven't yet. I really get into a rut with cooking. I tend to cook things I already know how to cook and can do them while thinking about something else. One of the advantages to having a sewing room again instead of sewing in the kitchen is that I'm forced to focus more when I'm cooking instead of sitting down at the sewing machine in between steps.

Chris

The truth may be out there but lies are in your head. Terry Pratchett

Avatar for turtleemom
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-25-2007
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 10:06am
I thought the term for that was bullying.

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