You can't be everybody's favorite mom all the time if you want a clean house. Much as I love, love, love, having a family around me, I get tired of all the work. (Read: constant cleaning. Same jobs, over and over.)
I've never believed that a parent should try to be their kids' best friend. (I feel sorry for those who play that game.) But at the same time, I've tried not to make their lives miserable by keeping as much fun as possible in our lives. I'm not meticulous when it comes to the house. I don't mind a bit of the "lived in" look.
But now I only have one child who is under ten, and the kids aren't getting much better at cleaning up after themselves--without prodding--than they ever were.
So--what's a girl to do?
Whatever it takes.
According to the children, when I get fed up, I get "mean." All this really means is that I make them work! I've pointed out that even Adam and Eve, in a PERFECT world, had work to do. In heaven there'll be wonderful, fruitful gardens, but I doubt they'll take care of themselves.
I guess I haven't done a great job in teaching them that WORK isn't all bad. It's necessary for a productive life, and it's definitely necessary for a smooth-running house. And a house that I don't mind living in.
Good thing I don't care about being everyone's favorite mom!
5 comments:
I'm just starting this parenting journey, and yes, you're right, we can't be a best friend to our kids. Thanks for this reminder.
Oh goodness, I'm with you. I feel like when I ask mine to clean their rooms or bathrooms, I've actually sentenced them to hanging...or worse, pulling out their nose hairs one by one.
Sigh....such is the life of a mom.
My house got messier and messier with each child. When they cleaned on their own, without asking, I knew they wanted something - lol.
Thanks Melanie, reminders do help, don't they? And Sherrinda, you made me laugh out loud! "Pulling out nose hairs one by one"! It's so true--kids make you feel like you've just managed to ruin their WHOLE lives when you give them some good honest work to do--necessary work to do. And Amy, my kids often want things but do NOT clean on their own to get it. I think I'd consider it an improvement if they did.
Thanks for your input, ladies.
By golly, I could have written this! It was more work getting them to clean their rooms than just doing it myself. Oh the days, can't wait for more with #4.
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