This post is in hopes that I am not the only mom who has days like I had today. I have been struggling with the house. The ever-present list of to do's: laundry, dishes, pick up toys, clean bathrooms, vaccum, sweep, clean counters, clean out the closet, etc, etc, etc. And anytime I am motivated to get everything done TODAY, NO MATTER WHAT, the kids go completely bazurk. And no, I don't know how to spell bazurk. Today's basurkness included Lucy and Meg diving off the couch right on top of Carlie, taking all the coushins off the couch, Lucy kicking Meg in the chest, Lucy poking Carlie's face, dumping out all the clean socks, filling the tub up to the brim, sassiness, talking back, yelling, and my favorite, "I don't like you, mom." The combined total of course brining me to tears by about 10 am.
I have been trying to coax myself to let the house go. I'd rather have happy kids, good kids, obedient kids, and a messy house, than grouchy kids and a clean house. But it's been hard! I want my house to be clean! How do you balance this? I've tried cleaning during nap time, but really the only thing I can do is fold laundry because everything else wakes somebody up. And then I have more grouchiness to deal with. And I know other people with kids have clean houses, how do they do it?
So please, advice is needed! And a little reassurance that this is normal, have you had days like this too?
6 comments:
YES!!! I have had many a day like that one! I think that you are thinking that everyone has clean houses all the time, but you probably are just seeing their clean house when you come over. I think that everyone who has children probably has a messy house most of the time. So don't stress out about it. And what I do is make small goals. So instead of thinking, "I want to have my ENTIRE house clean today." I think, "if I can just get the laundry done, or just one bathroom, or vacume one room....." you get the idea. But some days, your kids will just be worse than others no matter what you've done, or haven't done. Someone once told me somehting about their kids beeing worse when it was a full moon or something. I don't think there is anything we can really blame it on, other than that it is just life. Everyone has better and worse days, even kids. Usually if I'm having one of these kinds of days, I just try to reset my priorities for the day, try to get calmed down, turn on some good music, and a show or something for the kids. I want to have a clean house too, but I recognize that I made the choice to have kids, and with that choice comes a less than perfectly clean house. So just do as much as you can one day and then pick up on what you missed the next day. And then try not to take your childrens "sassy remarks" personal. I've heard the "I don't like you mom remark too." Don't worry, you will get through it, and you are a GREAT MOM!
(It is nice to see that we are all going through similar trials...thanks for posting about the good times, and the less than good.)
Holy moley well I only have ONE toddler and the best I can do usually is to just have my main floor clean (we have a 3-level townhouse) and perhaps one load of laundry done... that's on my BEST days and I have ONE kid! Do not feel badly, seriously you are leaps and bounds ahead of me and it's true that what we see of everyone else is usually their 'front', like if I know someone's coming over I get to cleaning right away but if someone were to just drop in well.... they'd see how it really is, you know? And it's okay that we don't all have 100% clean houses 100% of the time. So don't get yourself down, set small goals and pat yourself on the back for them!
Other people with kids DON'T have clean houses all of the time. If they say they do, they lie!! It's all about balane and you will probably struggle with it until your kids are grown. I like order and a clean house, but I have learned that if it causes stress, it is too much. I have also learned to stay up a little bit later, or wake up a little bit earlier to have time when the kids are asleep to get more done. You can do it!!
I really wish I had more advice, but I can definitely say you are not the only one. I don't know how anybody with more than one kid does anything... but it all takes balance, knowing when to throw in the towel, and lots of prayer and hubby help. The other thing is, it won't always be perfect. I have to tell myself that all the time. :)
Oh wow. I can completely relate to all the other comments. I think once you have 3 or more kids, life just gets plain crazy! It will get better as they get older I hear, but for now... it is just really hard sometimes. I definitely have days like that too. I really love order and organization... so it's just hard for me to manage and feel happy when the house is a disaster. I try to clean before my hubby gets home and for an hour or so after they go to bed because trying to follow them around all day to clean up after their messes is a total joke. I like this quote... "Cleaning the house while the kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing."
Hope tomorrow is a better day. Looks like we just barely missed seeing you guys in Utah. I wish I could have met you, but maybe next time. :)
i know that everything has a time and season and know that this is the season for a less cleaner house not messy just less clean 1 thing a day and if it goes good maybe 2. remember you will look back on your life and remember the fun you had with your young family not that your house was clean. and usually you see peoples house that have just cleaned them because they knew you were coming. if you catch them by surprise and it is still clean look at the rest of their life and if all is good just get over it they are having a good day.
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