I have been amazed when moms of girls talk to me about how the housework "works" at their house. As the mother of boys, I have asked, begged, pleaded, cajoled, haraunged, threatened, begged again and somedays just given up on getting the housework done. I take a deep breath before I enter their bedroom. I sigh when I leave it. Somedays the announcement of, "I am getting a garbage bag" finally motivates the 9 and 5 year old to get their areas picked up. All of my children know the sound of a garbage bag being filled with air when you snap it upside down to separate the sides of plastic. And they run to get their precious junk.
I recently purchased shelves for the boys room. They are pretty cool. They are slat boards from a store front that went out of business. They have plexiglass shelves that can be put in just about any space they want and the shelves show off all those beloved lego creations. They have hooks to hang up their clothes. They have brackets for bookshelves. It is organizing heaven.
I went into their room this morning. The shelves are emtpy. The stuff is on the floor. The beds are unmade-some of them without sheets. I am watching their father, my beloved huband, friend and lover, and know that really they are little men. They are just not hardwired to be a generalist. They have a hard time multi-tasking and making all those minute decisions that cleaning their bedroom requires.
I am accepting this and giving up. No cajoling today.
5 comments:
Will you expect more out of your daughters because they are little women and capable of multi-tasking?
I just love this post -- you are such a great mom.
The girls seem to naturally want to help-it is sooo weird. #5 and #6 both know what a hamper is and USE IT! not just deposit their socks 12-18 inches from the hamper. I don't know, maybe by then I will have figured it out.
You're great. This post sounds VERY familiar!!!
Hmmm...my experience is different. All of my kids are so helpful and love keeping things clean when they are young. (Aidan and Jillian would ask to clean the kitchen cabinets after dinner when they were little!!) Then as they get older they are less and less interested in taking the time to really take care of their stuff (laundry, toys, etc.) Aidan is the worst; however, Kathryn is right on his heels. Kaylie has started to resist putting laundry where it belongs just recently. Ugh...
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