Alex was home for a rather brief time these school holidays and in between a stint at the beach with her buddies and rowing camp there were things for her to do, such as laundry, rubbish ridding...... the ever present BEDROOM tidy.
Since she was only home for 3 days in between, I began to ask on the first day about the "above normal tasks that this poor child would be expected to attend to"!!!!!
"......have you done your washing?"
".....you will need to do some washing?"
"......what clothes are you taking?"
".......what the hell is this and why is it moving across the floor and leaving a slick?"
And..........
After many repeated conversations (if me saying, and her appearing to listen, is a conversation???) nothing happened.
Eventually, enough was enough and I said 'we are going to do your room' After the lead balloon hit the proverbial floor, we started (well I started)
Time elapsed and 1 rubbish bag, 1 full laundry hamper, 1 made bed, 1 mostly clear floor, 1 wardrobe with visual floor later things (in my mind) were coming together.
I asked Alex to get the Spray and Wipe and clean a mark off the wall. She squirted with no consideration for the carpet directly in line and finally the patience snapped.
"DON'T SPRAY DOWN THE WALL ONTO THE CARPET IT WILL STAIN IT!!!!!!!!!!"
This was followed by the very predictable throwing down of items and stomp outside with random words surfacing "mean.....murmur, murmur.... my room.... murmur, murmur ....mean....like it....murmur, murmur....4th element of the periodic table....... (nah, not that one, but ever hopeful)
Suddenly the massive wobbly came on. Not her. Me! I lost my cool and threw the laundry basket all over the room, emptied the rubbish bag onto the previously made bed, tossed cushions, cleared the desk in one dramatic sweep. Then, not spent I walked through the house finding all the lying round items, and chucked them down the hallway into the room. The room looks surprisingly 'usual' so I stomped to the front door and delivered (at volume) the pièce de résistance "YOU CAN COME BACK NOW......... YOUR BEDROOM IS HOW YOU LIKE IT!!!!"
The slam of the door sealed the deal.
In our house, me being cranky is not a usual element and in this case I even surprised myself. Short term, there was an effect and next time I saw the room it was very tidy. Long term............ the room is still not my scene, but maybe a little crack in the rock???
Since she was only home for 3 days in between, I began to ask on the first day about the "above normal tasks that this poor child would be expected to attend to"!!!!!
"......have you done your washing?"
".....you will need to do some washing?"
"......what clothes are you taking?"
".......what the hell is this and why is it moving across the floor and leaving a slick?"
And..........
After many repeated conversations (if me saying, and her appearing to listen, is a conversation???) nothing happened.
Eventually, enough was enough and I said 'we are going to do your room' After the lead balloon hit the proverbial floor, we started (well I started)
Time elapsed and 1 rubbish bag, 1 full laundry hamper, 1 made bed, 1 mostly clear floor, 1 wardrobe with visual floor later things (in my mind) were coming together.
I asked Alex to get the Spray and Wipe and clean a mark off the wall. She squirted with no consideration for the carpet directly in line and finally the patience snapped.
"DON'T SPRAY DOWN THE WALL ONTO THE CARPET IT WILL STAIN IT!!!!!!!!!!"
This was followed by the very predictable throwing down of items and stomp outside with random words surfacing "mean.....murmur, murmur.... my room.... murmur, murmur ....mean....like it....murmur, murmur....4th element of the periodic table....... (nah, not that one, but ever hopeful)
Suddenly the massive wobbly came on. Not her. Me! I lost my cool and threw the laundry basket all over the room, emptied the rubbish bag onto the previously made bed, tossed cushions, cleared the desk in one dramatic sweep. Then, not spent I walked through the house finding all the lying round items, and chucked them down the hallway into the room. The room looks surprisingly 'usual' so I stomped to the front door and delivered (at volume) the pièce de résistance "YOU CAN COME BACK NOW......... YOUR BEDROOM IS HOW YOU LIKE IT!!!!"
The slam of the door sealed the deal.
In our house, me being cranky is not a usual element and in this case I even surprised myself. Short term, there was an effect and next time I saw the room it was very tidy. Long term............ the room is still not my scene, but maybe a little crack in the rock???
