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: 04-16-2010
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 12:37pm
Yeah, there is a group of people that we know that like to go to the *cafeteria* for lunch after church.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2010
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 12:44pm
I have to watch the prices, b/c they aren't always the best deal.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-29-2010
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 1:03pm

Wow, thanks for posting that.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2009
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 1:05pm

it's common enough.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2009
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 1:07pm
bullying is a much more general term referring to the targeted harassment (physical and/or verbal) of ONE particular student by another particular student (or group of students).
Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 1:08pm
Yep, I get it now. That's why yogurt & fruit isn't a meal. Those cheap vegetarians!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2010
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 1:09pm
Yeah, we stop and get their pizza from the "resturant" AFTER we try out the samples-lol!!
My father would just take my husband for the samples for lunch-lol!! I am sure they would eat again when they got home though-lol!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2009
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 1:09pm

language is constantly changing.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2010
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 1:10pm
We now have the Executive Card. It costs $100/year but we get 3% on all our purchases and since we shop as much as we do there, it is worth it for us. We bought our TV there a few months ago and have already gotten $36 back (in Costco money).
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2010
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 1:12pm

We have the upgraded membership, just so that I can avoid that.

What do you mean by "avoid that"? I have an executive account and it is no different than the regular membership but it costs more per year and I get back 3% on all my purchases.

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