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: 07-17-2007
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 2:11pm
Because the farmer's market and the farm that delivers milk, cheese and meat - don't give out coupons. Trader Joe's doesn't do coupons either.


Edited 8/3/2010 2:12 pm ET by tryingtoquit
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2006
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 2:13pm
omgosh, i didn't know there was a name for that.

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-17-2007
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 2:17pm

So, you have to spend another $2100+ to get your money back before you start pocketing the 3%.

I don't spend $3333.33 on goods that they sell at COSTCO on a high year. So the $100 would be an extra fee for me.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-17-2007
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 2:18pm
I signed up for that at Safeway and Giant, but they kept sending coupons for foods I don't buy. So, I asked them to stop.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2010
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 2:20pm
You do not shop anyplace else but the farmer's market, the farm and Trader Joe's? Where do you get your everything else but food?
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2006
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 2:21pm
i don't like beans.

 

Avatar for rollmops2009
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2009
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 2:23pm
But if the 100 bucks came from one envelope, birthday money maybe or a new zero % (for now) credit card, it is "free" money. That way the money back is really won money, because it goes into a different envelope.

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Men can only be happy when they do not assume that the object of life is happiness.
– George Orwell
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2006
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 2:24pm

I completely agree on

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-17-2007
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 2:25pm
I do, but I don't spend very much money. Green cleaning supplies rarely have coupons either. I buy lactaid for ODS at Giant and regular cereals (for which I may have a coupon).
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2006
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 2:28pm
i avoid warehouse places like that too.

 

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