Our days may change
[email protected]
In a message dated 1/30/03 4:05:10 PM Central Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:
<< Then we got home, I asked if they could please clean up the
livingroom so that people can walk through it and there is a
comfortable place for everyone to sit on the couch, because their
grandma and grandpa are coming over for big monkey's birthday party
and to watch a movie with them. >>
Instead of asking my children to clean up, I say "will you guys come help me
get this room picked up, I am feeling really stressed right now." or with a
happy smile "this room is difficult to even walk in, let's get some of this
put away" and I start right in.
If you are joyfully doing things, they will WANT to join you most of the time.
Asking them to just do something for me is more like a maid (if it's
happening often) rather than a companion.
I do ask them to please get certain things done, but I use that option rarely
and it's not so hard to get a positive response.
Aren't your children younger Sheila?
I don't expect much help from little ones, my 13 and 9 y.o. are more capable
of independently pitching in.
It takes time.
I think possibly you are assuming that their needs and your needs are going
to magically overlap on the cleanliness issue. It's possible they will never
care about having a clean house and in that case they will help because they
know you need it.
But you can't use it every time you need something cleaned or they quickly
shut you out.
Ren
"The sun is shining--the sun is shining. That is the magic. The flowers are
growing--the roots are stirring. That is the magic. Being alive is the
magic--being strong is the magic The magic is in me--the magic is in
me....It's in every one of us."
----Frances Hodgson
Burnett
[email protected] writes:
<< Then we got home, I asked if they could please clean up the
livingroom so that people can walk through it and there is a
comfortable place for everyone to sit on the couch, because their
grandma and grandpa are coming over for big monkey's birthday party
and to watch a movie with them. >>
Instead of asking my children to clean up, I say "will you guys come help me
get this room picked up, I am feeling really stressed right now." or with a
happy smile "this room is difficult to even walk in, let's get some of this
put away" and I start right in.
If you are joyfully doing things, they will WANT to join you most of the time.
Asking them to just do something for me is more like a maid (if it's
happening often) rather than a companion.
I do ask them to please get certain things done, but I use that option rarely
and it's not so hard to get a positive response.
Aren't your children younger Sheila?
I don't expect much help from little ones, my 13 and 9 y.o. are more capable
of independently pitching in.
It takes time.
I think possibly you are assuming that their needs and your needs are going
to magically overlap on the cleanliness issue. It's possible they will never
care about having a clean house and in that case they will help because they
know you need it.
But you can't use it every time you need something cleaned or they quickly
shut you out.
Ren
"The sun is shining--the sun is shining. That is the magic. The flowers are
growing--the roots are stirring. That is the magic. Being alive is the
magic--being strong is the magic The magic is in me--the magic is in
me....It's in every one of us."
----Frances Hodgson
Burnett
[email protected]
In a message dated 2/1/03 12:54:16 PM Central Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:
<< People on this list have said that their houses don't look like
tornadoes have gone through them. If that's true, I don't understand
how they do it. >>
Someone here said that? who, where?? I want to know their TRICKS!! :)
Seriously though, my house usually looks like a tornado hit it.
I am doing a one year cleaning that organizes a small area each week, and I
have to say it's really working well.
But there are always messes piled somewhere, usually lots of somewheres.
Ren
"The sun is shining--the sun is shining. That is the magic. The flowers are
growing--the roots are stirring. That is the magic. Being alive is the
magic--being strong is the magic The magic is in me--the magic is in
me....It's in every one of us."
----Frances Hodgson Burnett
[email protected] writes:
<< People on this list have said that their houses don't look like
tornadoes have gone through them. If that's true, I don't understand
how they do it. >>
Someone here said that? who, where?? I want to know their TRICKS!! :)
Seriously though, my house usually looks like a tornado hit it.
I am doing a one year cleaning that organizes a small area each week, and I
have to say it's really working well.
But there are always messes piled somewhere, usually lots of somewheres.
Ren
"The sun is shining--the sun is shining. That is the magic. The flowers are
growing--the roots are stirring. That is the magic. Being alive is the
magic--being strong is the magic The magic is in me--the magic is in
me....It's in every one of us."
----Frances Hodgson Burnett