Wednesday, January 30, 2013

The all too familiar conversation

Wifey and I had the all-too-familiar conversation the other day regarding how much time out of each day is spent cleaning up after the kids.  Monday through Thursday nights are consumed with homework, laundry, dinner, chores and clean up. Not much time left for fun family time.

4 comments:

  1. But when the kids grow up and leave the nest you will miss picking up after them.

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  2. Word of advice enjoy it while it lasts,one day you will miss all that picking you do now.The only difference is, then it wont be possible to it again.

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  3. Understood. Our concern is that they'll grow up thinking it is okay to be pigs. ;-)

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  4. Fun family time begins with working together so ALL (meaning mom and dad) can have fun.

    I am remarried. My first marriage was a time of doing everything for everyone all the time. Husbands job was to earn money, nothing else. Kids jobs were to have fun, nothing else. I was blessed in that my kids were always pitching in so we could get to the fun part of life so it wasn't a big shock to them when I remarried and their stepfather insisted they do more. They actually liked doing their own laundry and could be heard asking each other if they had jeans, whites or colors that needed to be washed. Strange thing that teens and preteens like their clothes done, just so so. He also instituted a policy of one night a week each child was to prepare supper. Mind you, they were from 7 to 13. Help was given, but we were surprised at what came out of the kitchen, and in a good way. Tacos from scratch, even the shells from the 9 year old. BBQ chicken and potato salad from the 13 year old. Tomato soup and grilled cheese with fresh broccoli and cauliflower cleaned and served with ranch dressing for dipping. All are adults now and can cook and clean, diaper a baby (we blessed them with a younger sibling!). House cleaning was done by the kids, as I worked. I learned that just because they did not use the crevice tool on the baseboards every time they vacuumed or they used my kitchen dish towels to dust, nothing bad would happen. I had to become less rigid and I certainly learned to love life and laugh a whole lot more, and I enjoyed my years of mommyhood. I also knew that when they left the nest they had real cooking and cleaning skills and would not be buying new clothes instead of washing the ones they all ready owned or bringing them home from college for me to do. Hubby made sure they were experts at washing the truck, changing the oil, rotating tires, and general automotive maintenance before they were ever allowed to sit in the driver's seat. Now they save money by doing it themselves on their cars they paid their own hard earned money for, or they at least have the option to do it themselves.

    Now I sound like a crabby old lady. Or a braggart. Please don't take it that way. I don't judge people for how they raise their kids until one of those kids become the object of affection of my kids, LOL. As far as enjoying your kids, we had lots of fun doing "work" together. Where I live, I know of no ranch kid that is off the hook for working with mom and dad, even right down to itty bitty just out of diapers tykes doing what they can. It's all attitude and the attitude of gratitude (or as hubby says: work is a privilege) for the opportunity to be with and help our parents is important to the Father as well.

    Off soap box.

    sidetracksusie

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