I'm usually in a pretty good mood. It's a gift I have, to block unpleasant things from my mind. I like to think about bunnies and butterflies and colors...happy things.
When my kids were younger, that mood would start evaporating the closer we got to bedtime. We'd start the nightly rituals of finishing schoolwork, finding clothes for tomorrow, getting bedtime snacks, brushing teeth and getting into pajamas with PLENTY of time to spare.
But somehow, the clock always passed the appointed time and I was no longer a happy camper.
And THEN. I would enter the bedrooms. And I'd lose it.
Lord have mercy, it looked like something exploded in there.
Do these children have no pride in their belongings? Do they not realize the hard work and sacrifice that went into providing all those stuffed animals, tossed so carelessly on the floor? And the Legos! Must they always be underfoot? And are these heaps of clothes clean or dirty? Alright, who was eating crackers in here?
Please tell me I was not alone in my frustration.
If you're frustrated with the Bedroom Situations in your home, let me suggest this: focus on just one of the bedrooms today. Help a kid out.
Now, I know that kids should be responsible enough to clean up their own rooms and take care of their own stuff. Haven't you been trying to teach them that their whole lives?
But children are just like adults, in that they are often overwhelmed by the size of the mess they've made and have no idea where to start. They sometimes need outside help to either get them started, or keep them moving.
Cleaning up kids' rooms can be very taxing on your patience. I'm just warning you now. But.....
Occasionally, I cleaned my older children's rooms as a gift to them. They did not expect me to clean it, and if they did, they'd have another thing coming. But the delight on their faces to see a vacuumed floor and a made bed with the teddy bears on it, made me see that they too, enjoy a gift of service when it is done with love.
If you choose to do this, remember that you're not making a habit of spoiling them, you're just showing them what clean looks like. And if you can do it with a smile, well, you're getting another jewel in your crown.
If you don't have children at home, just focus on YOUR bedroom today. Even if most of the house is a horrible mess, working steadily at one area will give you a feeling a great satisfaction.
Here are a few of my favorite tips:
- Try breaking the job into small pieces and making a game out of it.
- Pack up some of the toys and clutter and store for a rainy day. Less is more.
- Use bins and baskets, use labels and pictures to help him sort.
- Use a timer, with a reward for a "job well done."
- Use a simple checklist to help him know what "finished" is.
- Make picking up a daily routine, not an occasional overhaul.
- Use a simple chore chart. Don't make it so elaborate you don't use it.
- Love this chore helper by my brilliant sister, Katherine.
- Most importantly, talk about how having things neat makes us feel good!
What are YOUR favorite tips?
