If there’s one thing Flea and I can fall out over, it’s mess.
My daughter is a mess-producing machine. Everywhere she goes, she casts off small items. And soon the house is a trail of detritus – gaming cards, books, comics, soft toys, small dogs, swords…
We did recently create a playroom in the loft of the house which I think pretty much saved my sanity. Although, it has to be said that Flea turned the playroom from a Zen space of calm and tranquility into a palace of Playmobil and Potter within the space of a week.
And, as I think has been proven on this blog before, I like me a bit of order and tidiness. Yes, I organise my mug cupboard. So, sue me.
But if it’s in the playroom, I don’t see it.
So I don’t care.
Despite having the world’s biggest playroom, Flea still feels the need to mark her territory elsewhere. Which is why, this evening, I spent 20 minutes collecting books and comics and piling them up on the stairs. When Flea got home from school, I went into reasonable parent mode:
“Flea, before you start playing, I want you to take those books on the stairs up to your room.”
“Okay, Mummy.”
Two minutes later I was carrying a pile of laundry up the stairs and almost broke my neck on the big Harry Potter book we picked up on our visit to the Warner Bros Studio tour last month.
“Flea, didn’t I ask you to take the books upstairs?” I said, through gritted teeth. “Why did you leave one?”
“Well, Mummy, I thought that was a bit more like a pamphlet, so it didn’t seem appropriate to take it,” Flea replied.
And this, friends, is what happens when the father of your child is a programmer. LOGIC. Always with the sodding logic.
About Sally
Sally is a full-time blogger and founder of the MAD Blog Awards and the Tots100, a community of almost 5,000 UK parent blogs. She is also a busy single Mum to Flea, the world's coolest seven year old.
I cannot even discuss kid mess without some form of chemical calmness inducer.
However.
I recently said “I don’t know where the children get their pedantic ness from…” to which dh replied “it’s pedantry. And it’s not from me.”
And look what happened when I asked dh to pick up a bit of tinsel for decorating te house once…
http://www.patchofpuddles.co.uk/archives/639/a-timely-reminder
Darn comment box wouldn’t let me paste!!
That made me laugh, quite a lot.
Why does cute work?….wife to 6-y-o daughter: Are you reading your book tonight?
Daughter: I am too tired (an often heard refrain that leads to a long debate and usually a negotiation over total page count).
Wife: OK, you can watch a little tv instead.
Daughter, combined with innocent smile: Oh good, so its not a pushy night tonight then?
Cute does work!
Oh bless her, so logical.
I have to say that you have the tidiest playroom in the world if that is it in full flow.
To me it’s a den of chaos and disorder.
Enjoy it while she’s cooperative. My 13 year old says she can’t relax unless her room is messy. She likes a nest of messiness on the floor to curl up in. So my policy is to keep the door closed but persuade her to tidy it every few weeks when it’s smelly.
Ha! I think my Mum had a similar policy when my 3 brothers were teens!
Oh no…my children have 2 computer programmer parents!
Flea sounds very clever!
She likes showing off with posh words. Gets that from me. The logic? All from her Dad.
Anything that is left out in our house that I’m complaining about is explained in this way: “but I am using it right now”. Drives me mad. I think I’d prefer the Harry-Potter-tome-as-a-pamphlet approach, for the amusement value.
I sometimes get, “I haven’t quite finished.” Which means it may get picked up at some unspecified time in the future – so why oh why can’t it be away until then??
Ahh yes that’s how us programmers works
She is incredibly cute though x
Sally – a friend of mine has instigated a ransom box…
Children’s toys that are not picked up go in the ransom box and they have to pick a chore to complete to earn it back! A great lesson in personal responsibility.
Hmmm, tempting but then the box would take up more tidy space…..Food for thought though..
I love this idea…. I may be trying this with my two. Meanwhile, I’m trying to train my dogs to pick up the toys as they seem to do it with less fuss and more efficiency than the kids.
I am the world’s messiest mother so will be interesting to see what my house looks like once the little dude is mobile!
the mummy adventure recently posted..Silent Sunday
That’s brilliant, she is a clever cookie that one!
Ramblings Of A Suburban Mummy recently posted..Tea and Cake!
awesome child!
jane @ northernmum recently posted..Real life parenting: warning contains shitto….
OOh what a clever girl!
Teenage years should be fun mind!
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