A Neat and Clean House vs Children

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-17-2007
A Neat and Clean House vs Children
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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: 02-04-2009
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 11:19pm

I do not think that is an appropraite question to ask someone, do you?

LOL, Seriously? After the 40 thousand different ways you questioned someone else because they'd never heard of febreeze YOU think you have any right to tell someone else their question was inappropriate???? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!

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Kitty

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"If you can't annoy somebody with what you write, I think there's little point in writing."-- Kingsley Amis, British novelist, 1971 t .

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Registered: 02-04-2009
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 11:22pm
Every since that ridiculously stoopid country song, Good Directions came out, 'sweet tea' is the in-phrase for all things "Southern". Apparently we're all pretending the mint julep never existed ;)

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Kitty

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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 .

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Registered: 02-04-2009
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 11:27pm
Part of driving responsibly is being able to to basic maintenance/emergency repairs on your car, imo. And I'm pretty sure my parents weren't going to move out of Illinois simply because I was so lazy that I couldn't be bothered to pass the 'change the tire in under 15 minutes' component of Driver's Ed.

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Kitty

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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: 02-04-2009
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 11:29pm
Diet Pepsi is teh suck.

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Kitty

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"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: 02-04-2009
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 11:41pm

an you stretch that "truth" any farther? who's furthering ignorance? certainly not me. There ARE instances where it is just plain dangerous to change a tire. I'm thinking if there's barely a shoulder and you need to change the driver or left passenger tire. of course, if YOU want to have yourself hanging out in the middle of the roadway while trying to change your tire (and hope no one hits you coming around that corner) -- all in the name of "independence" -- be my guest. I have AAA for just those kinds of occasions.

How are you expecting AAA to do it? Besides I never said, "If you EVER used someone else to change your tire, you're irresponsible" I said, if you aren't able. And then harmony reminded me there are legitimate reasons for not being able and I amended my answer. Of course, that's not good enough. But it doesn't make my answer different--it simply means you'd rather ignore what I said.

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Kitty

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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: 02-04-2009
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 11:46pm

If my taxes didn't go to Richmond and my civil rights weren't violated, I'd never know I was living in Virginia.

LOL! You should totally send that to Tony Griffin :D

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Kitty

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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: 02-04-2009
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 11:48pm
AAA doesn't automatically send a tow truck when you call with a flat tire.

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Kitty

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"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: 02-04-2009
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 11:52pm
You can make sweet tea with Splenda or Equal--there's nothing magical about hot water and sugar--I mean, it's the same basic premise for making plain old tea. Hot enough water and the flavor will infuse into the water and stay there. So if you add sweetener, whether it's sugar or fake stuff, it'll do the same thing the tea does--infuse into the water.

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Kitty

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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: 02-04-2009
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 11:55pm

Why can't an adult *child* learn things on their own?

They can. But what kind of parent would make them when these things are easily learned before they become adults? Why would we force children to essentially reinvent the wheel? Why don't we just let children learn history and math and science on their own once they become adults? They *can* do it; adults who haven't learned it in their childhood do it all the time. But what responsible parent would do that to their children when it's so unnecessary? (And really, was your mastery of math and science spoiled because some adult taught it to you and didn't leave you to learn it on your own? Then why would sewing on a button be this big huge personal achievement full of pride, just because your parents sucked and you had to learn to do it yourself?

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Kitty

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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: 06-24-2008
Thu, 07-29-2010 - 11:57pm
I keep a X-shape tire wrench and small hydraulic jack in my car all the time. Saves TONS of time in tire changing--and also helps when the tire store over tightens the lug nuts--you can stand on it and bounce on the left hand side. That is usually enough to force the issue.



I used to have one of those. Even with all my weight on the one side, I could not get all four loose. It always came in handy for whoever did end up changing my tire for me.

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



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