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: 07-12-2005
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 9:16pm

You caught me. So did someone else on the board, who pieced together my true identity and location using a spreadsheet of everything I have ever posted on this board, combined with an illegal search using their employer's software. They reported me to the authorities, who charged me with corrupting minors by promoting underage banking. I would have responded sooner, but it took forever to locate my attorney, who was living with six other people in an illegal apartment. Once I found him, it took him several more hours to find enough coupons to come up with my bail money. then, when he brought it to the police station, he had to wait until the police officers' wives were done with their purse party (good to know that was not illegal). Then we had to track down all of the people who have been raising my kids for me over the years to assure the officers that my kids spent so little time with me anyway, that the one occasion of underage baking could have no effect. Unfortunately, they painted their door yellow after the guy at Home Depot screwed up, and the officers would not even go inside to talk to them. Eventually, I convinced them that since I did not plan ahead to create memories from it (having a camera and appropriate backdrop, combined with a staged flour fight), the kids would not even remember it. They finally let me go home and gave the kids back, but not until all of the day laborers all went home for the night, so I had to give my kids baths and read them stories myself. I hope tomorrow is a better day.

On the bright side, I saved $240 by buying a $60 purse that people will think is a $300 purse. I'm glad Labor Day, Halloween, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving are all coming up soon. I can use my gift money to pay for it!

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2006
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 9:17pm

here's what i replied to..


I do buy jarred tomato sauce and paste, but that's just water, salt and cooked tomatoes.

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2010
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 9:18pm

A single Duracell bat last longer than a single Rayovac, yes.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2006
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 9:19pm
gotcha.

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-22-2009
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 9:19pm
LOL
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2010
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 9:20pm

lmao!


You're good!

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-10-2009
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 9:30pm

Okay, here's how it works:


I buy 4 off-brand AA for $2.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2010
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 9:31pm
What brand makes jarred tomato sauce and paste?
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-17-2007
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 9:31pm
No, but the Safeway can't be making money, so I figured that they wanted to get rid of a losing store. We don't have town boards here that do things like that. We are county run.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2010
Tue, 08-03-2010 - 9:32pm
Did you see the ingredients from the jarred sauce I posted?

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