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: 08-22-2009
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 4:39pm

Except there is no correlation between how often someone uses their vehicle and how often they have to get gas. It has to do with the size of the tank, the miles traveled and the miles per gallon.

Even though we get pretty crappy miles per gallon with our truck I can drive it to work every day and still go 6 weeks between fills ups because I have a short commute and a large gas tank.

On the other hand, even though we get great miles per gallon with our car it needs to be filled up weekly because DH has a longer commute and a much smaller gas tank.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-16-2010
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 4:41pm
Relax! First of all, I also live in the south, and it's not that way where I am. Are you saying

Kevali


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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-16-2010
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 4:43pm

and...


Kevali


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2010
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 4:45pm
I think Polkadot gave her reasoning in another post.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-24-2008
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 4:49pm
I disagree and count things like being able to change a tire, sew on a button, iron a shirt, etc as basic life skills. I do not want my children leaving home without these skills.



And if one of your children lacked the ability to change a tire? Would they "lack basic life skills" if they then found another way to get it done to compensate for their inability?



I'd call the ability to manage the loss of a tire, a button, and the ability to dress appropriately as basic life skills. But there's always more than one right way to get something done. Like I said before, it's not that I don't know how, I do know how, I just can't physically accomplish the task. And yet, I've managed perfectly fine all these years. Imagine that.

Say not, 'I have found the truth,' but rather, 'I have found a truth.' -Kahlil Gibran



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Ten Rules for Being Human


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"The key to good decision making is not knowledge. It is understanding."
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Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 4:51pm
I dunno. In 35+ years of driving, I've had a flat tire while driving only once. The only time I've ever had to change a tire is while my dad was teaching me how to do it, so I can't say I consider it a basic life skill.
Avatar for turtleemom
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-25-2007
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 4:52pm

I feel that if you do not know someone well (like a neighborhood aquaintance) and you stop over in their time of need or call to query about their food preferences that is an intrusion.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-24-2008
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 4:52pm
I have no idea how many tires I've had go flat, but it's a lot. When I was younger I delivered pizzas, and drove so many miles every day I must have lost more than 5 tires in that job alone. One time I had two tires flat at once, though that was from some crazy woman who had it out for me (long story). You could tell she used a knife. Wouldn't have mattered then even if I could have changed them on my own, I don't care two spares :)

Say not, 'I have found the truth,' but rather, 'I have found a truth.' -Kahlil Gibran



Photobucket

Photobucket


Photobucket
Photobucket



Ten Rules for Being Human


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"The key to good decision making is not knowledge. It is understanding."
Malcolm Gladwell Blink

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-22-2000
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 4:56pm
Do you mind my asking what (general) area of the south this is?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-24-2008
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 5:04pm
I'm pretty sure AAA has been around way longer than any of us have been alive. Unless there are any centenarian's here?

Say not, 'I have found the truth,' but rather, 'I have found a truth.' -Kahlil Gibran



Photobucket

Photobucket


Photobucket
Photobucket



Ten Rules for Being Human


Photobucket



"The key to good decision making is not knowledge. It is understanding."
Malcolm Gladwell Blink

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