Now JB's doing it too! ho hum!
I have carefully organized and kept the kids rooms in order for so long. Last year (or the year before - foggy memory on this change with HC) HC began to take over the 'order' of her room and can I tell you - I see PILES of cluttered mess! My battle has been... do I take over or do I let her make a mess of things and bring my way of doing things into light when she looks for the missing toy that she HAS to find NOW and say... "That's why Mommy had certain types of things in certain drawers.. so we always knew where they were." Yes - how lame am I to try to slam a 5 year old for a messy room but - I hate the cluster of clutter in every nook in her room. And don't get me started about the state of her dresser drawers!
Now - I was looking to see if we had any wipes left in this house (because wipes are GREAT for getting deodorant marks off of black fabric and in picking up laundry my deodorant made a mark on my freshly cleaned shorts). Anywho... I went into JB's room to look for wipes. He is the last one in need of them so... this was a great place to start the search. I opened JB's cabinet in his room. The one that was ALWAYS so orderly and I could guarantee finding exactly what I needed in 2 seconds or less - it was a wreck. Clean clothes mixed with dirty clothes mixed with toys! It is already bad enough that when I go into JB's room I find random clothes thrown about the room from a sudden need for a wardrobe change (due to JB trying to match his clothes to Daddy). So his floor is strewn about with a mixture of dirty clothes and clean clothes and who knows WHICH is clean or dirty these days!
And to answer the glaring question of "why is this new news - the condition of his dresser?" My kids are responsible for putting away their laundry after I fold it. I hang their items that require hanging but THEY put away their laundry. So that is why I didn't know of the chaos I found in JB's cabinet. They do have good habits but I want them to want organized space without me bullying them into that habit. Is that a ridiculous thing to hope for? I find it hard to know when I should push my way on them versus letting them learn what's best on their own. I know - I've only begun to fight this battle. It will spread to many areas before I know it.
I am losing control little bit by little bit and I do not enjoy this (I guess that's better than losing it all at once). My kid's nice clean rooms are becoming pits of randomness right before my eyes. When do I play the Mommy card and make them do what I want? Or is it just best to give them the chance to find their way of 'organizing' their own rooms. For now I am trying to give freedom but.... I am screaming for order inside!
Monday, September 22, 2008
I've lost control of the reigns...
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“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” (Romans 15:7)
THIS verse was the WORD OF THE DAY on your sidebar! I just thought that it was too fitting for your post today :)
I am so with you on the chaos clutter in kids rooms and please don't get me started on all of the "junk" that they come home with from EVERYWHERE!! Church papers and crafts already crumpled and bent, etc. Drives me crazy!
One thing that helped me when we actually had space to put them ... was one of those colorful stacked bin sets (I actually stole the idea from Leigh Ann). I tried to get them to keep things organized in bins, but then they have friends over to play and it ends up everywhere anyway. So, I compromised and just said that it needed to be a bin and not on the floor. Then, every month (or whenever it drove me crazy), we would go through and purge stuff. I insisted on them being involved because I want them to learn that we just simply can't save everything. I know parents play the sneaky card and throw stuff out while they are sleeping, but I really fight the urge to do that.
Best of wishes!
Shirley
ps - If it is any relief to you, my bedroom was a TOTAL wreck in high school all the time. Now, I much prefer order and try to keep things that way (again, when I have a place that I can actually do that in and not a camping trailer!). My Mom commented on one of her visits "I can't believe that YOU are a neat nick!"
Great scripture! Too bad I didn't notice it myself! :) I am trying to find the line in leading and letting them be free a little. Ho hum. It will all come together in time! I get frustrated when I have to sit and walk them through the clean room process over and over again. Can't they just get the lesson the first time?? :)
I know - it is a process. But I don't have to like that it is a process.
i think it is great that you are letting them be in charge--but i think they need guidelines!! hahah!!! MAC is in charge of keeping his room clean {most days}. he puts his clothes away "neatly" {with supervision} and he has bins for different toys. now i would like ot say that all the dinosuars are in the dinosaur bin, cars in the car bin, etc. but most days he tries. AND he gets a small "commission" {dave ramsey} for his "chores" he LOVES to be able to spend his money on what he wants!!!! he was able to buy some candy AND a new racecar today!! made his week {i think}...anywhoo....bottom line- i think that teaching them to keep their room clean is just part of them learning responsilbility {and keeping your sanity}- afterall you don't want them to be 15 and THEM have to teach them!!! right??? luv u girl!!! miss you like crazy!!!
Hey girl! Just wanted to let you know that Kmart is having a super double couponing week up to and including 2.00. Yea for coupons! Got some great stuff for free or really cheap. And baby boy's room is totally messy too.:) I put all his toys away and he comes right behind me pulling them all out. He's like his daddy.:) Go Gators!
You are dealing with the "give them wings" or "do they still need more roots" question. Just know that at this age---they are still very much "rooted" to you. The "wings" are just little flutters here and there---like "do you want an apple or banana" freedom.
Of course, there are some battles that are more important, and like those before, I often fight the clean your room battle only once or twice a month. :)
Too funny about Shirley's bins - I used to have specific bins for specific toys and yeah, now it is "just get it off the floor!!!!"
I go through my kids' rooms with them every now and then reminding them of how we need to keep our things neat and tidy. They are responsible, most weeks, to bring their dirty laundry baskets to me and then take them upstairs and put the clothing away. I give their rooms a once over when we tuck them in to bed at night and remind them of what needs to be put away.
My kids don't have many toys in their rooms, I make the toys stay in the playroom - so it is mostly clothing or papers that make their rooms messy.
I had a messy room when I was younger too!
Here's to Kids with Clean Rooms! :)
Hey girl... I love reading about you all. I totally identify with this...a s I am sure most moms do. I got on a kick last week and "let" them choose 10 toys each (all the matchbox cars count as one, the box of blocks was one, etc) Then, we bagged up 5 trash bags FULL of toys and put them away for awhile. Now, it takes them about 5 minutes to put it back in the correct bins and yes I have to make them. One day all this training will pay off. God is a God of order, I think anyway:)
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