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?

Pages

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-16-2010
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 1:24pm
I live in the south as well, and what I think she was asking about was the actual term "sweet tea." IME, there's tea, and then there's hot tea. If you ask for "tea" you get sweetened, ice tea.

Kevali


 Photobucket

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-22-2000
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 1:29pm
My mother has one for emergencies, but she never turns it on.

Avatar for mommy2amani
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 1:32pm


That was never my reaction to a thin person at WW.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-22-2000
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 1:33pm

I'm willing to bet, I'm the ONLY one on this board who regularly checks email at 4am. Well, probably Rollmops and Laura, but it's not *their* 4am ;)



iVillage Member
Registered: 07-09-2010
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 1:33pm

I have never had that request, but of course.


I am not on the board of the neighborhood association. They get in contact w/the person in need (I decline personally) and ask would you like us to bring food and they get specifics from them and include that in the email and if you wish to help then you reply back yes I'd like to help and I"ll do a,b,c so they can take that off the list and not have too much of the same thing and know who and how many are participating. I feel it is a very nice & kind gesture. I did decline it. But it was nice to be asked and thought of.


If it is a neighbor that I don't know I may drop a card to see how they are doing in a couple of weeks but inviting them out for coffee no.


If it is a friend, you better believe we are callling, texting, emailing, chatting at Facebook and planning to get together for whatever, supper, movie or just chat over a glass of sweet tea.


I have so many wonderful and dear friends and I have a very close family (I talk to my mother, my father, and my brother and his wife daily). My dh and I are extremely close and to our kids. My life is full.


Crises are people who are enduring a loss, surgery or any type of hospitalization (coming home it helps them to have food provided). Maybe it is a stressful time and the family could use some uplifting and cheer, maybe the family has been overseas adopting children it is a warm and great way to welcome them not only to our neighborhood but to America and the lovely south and it's tradition.


Polkadots&FlipFlops

Polkadotandflipflops

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-09-2010
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 1:36pm

If you ask for tea you are going to be served sweet iced tea. If you don't want the tea sweetened or you want it hot then that needs to be addressed.


Guests can expect that soon after they arrive a glass of pitcher of iced sweet tea and glasses w/ice will be on a tray approaching you before the greetings end.


Polkadots&FlipFlops

Polkadotandflipflops

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-09-2010
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 1:37pm
Yes, I know. My friend works for WW as a director herself.

Polkadots&FlipFlops

Polkadotandflipflops

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-04-2009
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 1:40pm
Part of driving responsibly, imo, is being able to change one's own tire. When I went through Driver's Ed, you couldn't pass until you changed the tire in under 15 minutes.

************

Kitty

Proud member of the Rainbow Poop Debate Squad

Meez 3D avatar avatars games

************

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: 11-22-2000
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 1:40pm

I'm with you. I take it with me and I've driven home if I've forgotten my phone. The only exception is if I'm too far away from home or need to be somewhere at a certain time, I'd rather be on time and phone-less. But I hate that none of the kids, the sitter or dh can reach me, so I rarely end up in that situation. It's as important to have with me as my wallet.



iVillage Member
Registered: 07-09-2010
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 1:42pm

I'm only in my early 40's but we didn't have driver's education (so obviously it wasn't required)


My dad, mom and grandmother taught me to drive once you get a permit that last for 30 days then you go for your driver's test and there you go........


Polkadots&FlipFlops

Polkadotandflipflops

 

 

Pages