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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Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 3:14pm
Exactly. In 35+ years of driving, I've never had to change a tire. So even though I knew how at one time, I don't know for sure that I could do it now. Since I have AAA, it doesn't keep me up at night.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2010
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 3:16pm

It is not *my* responsibility to see that the children have an alternative.

Aren't you the one planning the meals? Don't you buy things that your family likes?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2010
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 3:18pm
Excellent post!!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2010
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 3:19pm
All *foodies* are not created alike.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-08-2009
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 3:22pm
There are some things that three out of the four members of the family like. There are some things that my kids like but don't feel like eating at some point. There are some things that my kids like for years and suddenly turn against. One of my kids ate salmon for years and all of a sudden "doesn't like salmon." I do not know why. I do not even care why.
Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 3:23pm

Could be. We rotate our tires twice a year (when we change to and from the snow tires), so they get checked pretty regularly.

I've easily had half a dozen low tires (result of picking up nails from the construction that goes on in my neighborhood), but I've had a flat tire only once. My dh was with me, and I guess I could have insisted on trying to change the tire myself, but frankly, that didn't occur to either of us. Perhaps you'd consider him sexist, but he's not the kind of guy who would wait in the car while his wife changes a tire.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-09-2010
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 3:23pm
No. If we want that kind of thing, then I place the items on my upcoming grocery list. I couldn't tell you the last time I purchased any of those items though.

Polkadots&FlipFlops

Polkadotandflipflops

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-09-2010
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 3:26pm
Ditto in over 25 years

Polkadots&FlipFlops

Polkadotandflipflops

 

 

Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 3:28pm
I doubt I've had better cars. My current car has 130,000 miles (and we bought it used when it had 88,000 miles on it), and dh's car currently has 140,000 miles on it. But we check our tires regularly (we rotate them twice a year when we change the snow tires) and always before we take a trip. I've had lots of low tires (lots of construction in my older neighborhood, so it's easy to pick up a nail), but only one flat tire when I was driving.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-09-2010
Fri, 07-30-2010 - 3:30pm

See ITA. I DO feel it is MY responsibility to see that everyone has every meal. And a not a sandwich as a substitute (if I even had the things in the house to make that possible in the first place). To me, that isn't a supper.


And I'll have to say I love it just like I love seeing our home is clean & beautiful, pantry is full, and for us to all enjoy life to the fullest.


Polkadots&FlipFlops

Polkadotandflipflops

 

 

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