My house is a disaster. I don't even know how it happens. I'm the type of person that likes order and neatness. Every thing in my house has a place, at least in my head. This sets me up to be a disastrous parent.
It was manageable with one child. When Frankie got to the age where she could move around the house, I would simply follow her path of destruction and clean up behind her. Whatever she pulled out, I put back. Whatever she spilled, I picked up. We had a system.
But now there are two of them. Two against me. I have no hope. One goes one way and the other goes another way and I'm just waiting in the middle with a spray bottle and a broom.
I've let go a lot, a LOT since having kids. Before kids I think when people saw my closets they thought I had mental issues. And the biggest messes around here are toys. Which I don't totally mind, because I like a lot of their toys, and they're pretty and give off that idyllic "children live here and it's cute" look when they lay scattered on the floor in small groups of less than five.
Except for the Lego. Right now I LOATHE the Lego. When I see the two year old pull it out I sigh and steady myself for what will inevitably come in about two minutes. The dump out. And it's always in the best spot, like on the back patio stairs, so that millions of tiny pieces shower through the spaces in between the stairs and directly into our (full of old beer bottles) recycling bins. Why would you want to quietly build a house and give mommy some alone time when you can cause a complete spectacle?!
I'm doing my best to teach my children to pick up after themselves, but I fear I'm going hoarse AND crazy from saying "Pick that up please." And let's face it, two year olds are very good at pretending they don't understand you until you whisper the word "popsicle" from the other side of the house.
If someone - anyone has the answer, the key to maintaining a reasonable level of clean, not so much that I spend every hour of my day playing pickup, but enough to maintain a house that isn't a hazard, I would be very, very grateful.
