I put 'cleaning' in "QUOTES" because the cleaning (not in quotes) required to clean up their "cleaning" is a lot more cleaning than the "cleaning" itself. But man, do they love "cleaning"! Leave 'em alone unoccupied for a few minutes and next thing you know they're "cleaning" -- they've gotten themselves into the Cleaning Closet in the laundry room... and all *heck* has broken loose! "Cleaning" "cleaning" craze craze craze. A tornado-like frenzy of frenetic "cleaning"-spraying-squirting-swooshing-mopping-scrubbing-"cleaning." Usually it starts in the bathroom and then gradually moves into the kitchen. "Real men clean boys! Real men clean!" I cheer, as I dart back and forth re-directing a spray nozzle here (so it doesn't go straight into an eye) and re-positioning a mop there (so it doesn't slam-dent the baseboard). If it is left to go on long enough they'll move through the whole house, with me gently guiding them (until I lose my patience and it turns into not-so-gentle-guidance at which point the fun of it usually ceases for them pretty quickly and they run off to other things leaving me in peace to clean up the "clean up.") I've been trying to roll with it, though, calling up all the patience I have within me, and just grinning-and-bearing the follow-up cleaning required, because I figure that what I'm going through now is well worth it for the THANKS AND PRAISE I'll be receiving someday down the road from their future life-partners. I imagine it now: proud me, as a sixty-something-year-old, my cup runneth over with gratitude from my lovely daughters-or-sons-in-laws (I just have to believe --or else I'll cry-- that we'll have legalized marriage for all consenting adult partners by then). Anyway, I can deal with delayed gratification. Oh, yes I can. They'll be thanking me someday for these modern men. And I'm putting it out there to the universe now: whoever you are, you out there, you who will be my boys' life-partners someday.... YOU OWE ME BIG TIME FOR THIS!!!!!!! BIG TIME!!!! ;)
5 comments:
Love it, just love it. I need K & O to come over to our house to teach Becky and Shawn. It would be funny to have two 4 year olds being supervisor and tell them how to do it.
I have one heck of a time getting them to do much cleaning at all in the house, but I guess that is because they are teenagers and have their own things going on.
Keep up the great work.
Love and Hugs,
Claudia
Hi Heather! I read your blog often and am so inspired by the way you parent your kids! I am going to adopt from Haiti one day, but until then I just love reading your blog.
Anyways... I started volunteering today with a family of Haitian refugees. They have a little 3 year old boy named Jodnel- such a sweetheart. They are going through really hard times and miss Haiti a lot. I want to help them out, especially with Jodnel, so will be giving htem free babysitting, etc. I was just wondering if you knew of anything geared to kids about Haiti- books, music, anything really! I am not sure exactly what I am looking for, but I know I don't want Jodnel to lose his Haitian culture and would love to bring the family a bit of their home. Let me know if you have any ideas! Thanks :)
Nikki
They look like they are big helpers. =)
That's so cute!
from a distance, this looks very, very sweet... hopefully, in a few years, the clean-up required after their clean-up will be minimal :)
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