Holding back the tide..
I'm not going to pretend to be a tidy person.. a quick glance at my computer desk alone would prove that theory wrong. However, I have recently found myself pulling my hair out at the mess my young children make!
We have one large room downstairs, and so I can't tuck toys away in another room. I did try telling Beth she had to leave everything upstairs.. but that didn't last long! So, in an attempt to stay organised, I have various tubs and boxes in a couple of corners.. and if everything stayed there I'd be happy enough.
But no.. every single time I put something in it's proper box or tub, I turn around, and it's been pulled out again, and scattered around the room! I am forever stepping on a Tweenie, Fimble, doll or bear, or kicking Thomas along the floor, swearing as it cheerfully goes 'chug chug'! And then there's the case of crayons.. I seem to be forever putting them back in their case.. and always finding the 'one that got away', as it snaps under my feet!
Oh, and then there's the silly idea I get of packing something away, and 'tidying' it neatly in the attic. I choose something that hasn't been even touched for months, let along played with, and quietly send Glen up the ladder with it. Two days later, and that exact toy is being hunted for by Bethany, because she has to play with it.. now!
Ok, now the girls are soundly asleep in bed, I'm off to put the toys away - until they get up in the morning, and drag it all out!
We have one large room downstairs, and so I can't tuck toys away in another room. I did try telling Beth she had to leave everything upstairs.. but that didn't last long! So, in an attempt to stay organised, I have various tubs and boxes in a couple of corners.. and if everything stayed there I'd be happy enough.
But no.. every single time I put something in it's proper box or tub, I turn around, and it's been pulled out again, and scattered around the room! I am forever stepping on a Tweenie, Fimble, doll or bear, or kicking Thomas along the floor, swearing as it cheerfully goes 'chug chug'! And then there's the case of crayons.. I seem to be forever putting them back in their case.. and always finding the 'one that got away', as it snaps under my feet!
Oh, and then there's the silly idea I get of packing something away, and 'tidying' it neatly in the attic. I choose something that hasn't been even touched for months, let along played with, and quietly send Glen up the ladder with it. Two days later, and that exact toy is being hunted for by Bethany, because she has to play with it.. now!
Ok, now the girls are soundly asleep in bed, I'm off to put the toys away - until they get up in the morning, and drag it all out!
posted by Michelle at 20:45
4 Comments:
Hi Michelle,
Lol, are you living my life? ! We are all in one room aswell and when the kids go to bed I like the room to revert to an adults room but some days I just feel like I loose the will! As for putting toys "away" in the attic, I tend to hide them for a month so that I can prove it hasn't been played with!
Good luck with stemming the tide and let me know how to suceed (if you ever find a way)
I'm not a tidy person either (except at work where everything is perfectly in order whenever I have a hand in it!), which is strange, because when I was a kid I always had to put azway what I was playing with before getting out somethng else or I got hoolered at. In fact, I used to do it automatically & all my building blocks & crayons would be arranged according to colour (I was kind of anal about that). I have nbo idea how I became such an untidy slattern as an adult!
Michelle!
I think that you're describing my house perfectly. It drives me insane to leave a fairly clean room and come back to a disaster area. I almost feel like calling the red cross to come ease the burden, know what I mean? I've started using bins with lids, and stacking them up high in a closet where the kids have to ask for them. The only way they can have a new bin of toys, is if the one they were just using is ready to be put up high.
Hope that helps!!
Hey, Michelle, I think we should form a "Messies Club"! LOL! I'm defintely no neatnik.
But, when the girls were small, I had the same problem. I actually came upon a solution via a homeschooling book written by a mom who had three uncontrollable boys.
She suggested getting a big box or tub and putting it in the middle of the room. Tell the girls you're going to set a timer and they have XXX minutes to get all the toys picked up and put away in their proper places. Whatever isn't picked up is going in the bin and will be donated to the charity shop.
You wouldn't believe how fast they'll get moving when fear of permanent removal is immenent! And don't back down!! Anything that isn't picked up--give it away! Be brutal! That way they know you mean business.
(I may have to resort to that tack with DD, the elder again soon. You can't sit in the big chair in the front room, it's full of her stuff...including a pair of ice skates!)
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