One of my abiding memories of childhood is coming home from primary school one day to find our Mum had put all our untidy toys into black bin bags and chucked them out of the window into the garden.
We were given one hour to put away anything we wanted to keep. Otherwise it would go in the bin.
Age has given me a WHOLE new perspective on this story.
Flea is – in many ways – a wonderfully easy person to get along with. She’s polite, she does as she’s asked, she has a good sense of humour, and she’s really easy going, so I don’t have to deal with tantrums and the like.
But good God, the child tears through our house like a tornado some days, shedding toys and clothes and comics wherever she goes.
I do not deal well with mess. To say the least.
I explain to Flea that I have limited free time, I don’t want to spend it tidying up. I explain how if things aren’t tidied away, it’s harder to find them next time you need them. We talk about how much more fun life is when you can walk up the stairs without navigating the entire cast of Toy Story 3.
And Flea nods and tells me she’ll try harder.
It doesn’t work.
So last week, I told Flea that each day the house was untidy at bedtime, Flea would lose her favourite toy for 24 hours.
Flea cried, because “even the thought of it makes me sad.”
But I was resolute. Kids need discipline, I told myself.
Yesterday, I finished work and went to gather Flea’s uniform for beavers before collecting her from school. Her trousers weren’t in the wardrobe. Her shoes weren’t in the shoe basket. My mood wasn’t improved much by the soft toy rabbit collection enjoying a puppet show performance in the middle of the sodding dining room.
At school, I explained to Flea that because she hadn’t tidied away her clothes, I was going to take away her new DS video game for 24 hours.
On the way home, we decided Flea probably shouldn’t go to Beavers because she was crying so hard that her Beavers jumper was – to be frank – a bit soggy. She cried all the way through dinner. Then she went and sat on the stairs and cried some more.
She got up briefly to pass me a note that said, “Dear Mummy, I think your punishment is unfair because it makes me sad. PS I am ever so sorry. Love Flea xxxx”
Then she went back to the stairs and cried.
After coming downstairs to write in her diary, “Today was experiment day at school and it was meatballs for lunch and then I went home and Mummy was frustrated with me, which is not the same as being angry,” Flea went up to bed, still sniffing.
Then my ex called.
“Just to let you know I’ve got Flea’s Beaver uniform,” he said, cheerfully.
Typical.
And that, readers, is how I officially became The World’s Meanest Mummy.
The question is – do I tell Flea?
Oh my, I sucked my teeth at the end of this post, and until then I didn’t really know what teeth-sucking was all about. I feel your pain. Personally I’d tell her – she’ll likely forgive you in a heartbeat and relish the opportunity to be gracious, plus you get to model what a heartfelt apology looks like. The ex clearly needs a suitable punishment though…
Ha! I told her this morning. She didn’t mind in the slightest. Bless her.
Children can be so dramatic! You are not the meanest mummy at all, and as you said it wasn’t just about the beavers uniform. I remember my mum never promising something that she couldn’t follow through including punishments. She would cancel whole days out just to keep to her word and we quickly learnt to do what she asked! She wasn’t mean at all, just wanting some respect I think.
Hope flea is tidying up more now. (and good luck sneaking the uniform back in!)
I know – she was just so SAD. But yes, I do think you shouldn’t ever threaten what you won’t follow through on. Admitting weakness opens the gate for all sorts 😉
Dont tell her.
I don’t do lying to kids but the chances are, Flea will have learned something from this. I you admit to being wrong, all this will give her is a lesson in mummy being fallible and a future point of contention if you try to punish her again.
Just my twopenneth.
I just said “You uniform is at Dad’s but that doesn’t change the fact you didn’t tidy up and I asked you to. And you need to remember to bring things home from Dad’s after you visit him.”
There. Reasonable and fair. And she was fine with it.
I’m told I’m the meanest mum ever at least five times a day. But to make up for it I’m told I’m the best mum in the whole world probably three or four times a day. And best mums are worth ten mean mums, so that’s OK.
I’d tell her – she’ll still have learnt something. Maybe. And, does she do reward charts? Every tidy-at-the-end-of-the-day gets a sticker, a whole week gets a toy? Or something. I must make me some sticker charts, actually – toilet training and attitude to combat here (in two separate children, I should add).
Aw, Flea never really comments on my parenting. I’m sure she’s just storing it up for her memoirs.
I don’t think you are the meanest mummy you were doing what you thought was right. I think you explain that things have to be tidied and the rabbits weren’t put away but her daddy had her uniform so you took daddy’s game away instead. It’s hard to find that balance. I’m sure Flea will understand.
Well quite. Wonder what i can take off her Dad, though 😉
Oh my goodness, being a mummy is hard isn’t it?! I think you should stick with the whole punishment over not putting toys away but the beaver uniform…..just fess up, kids love you for being honest. Good luck! She sounds like a little sweetheart. My daughter writes me notes too 🙂
I think that’s sterling advice, thanks.
Tell her because her dad might mention it and then you’ll look like a liar as well. The punishment was about being tidy and there were still toys lying around. I don’t think a few stuffed bunnies on the dining room floor is such a big deal but then 24 hours without your digital watsit shouldn’t be such a big deal either – especially as you are only at home and awake not eating for about three of those hours. I think you both need to lighten up a bit.
Well, I think given Flea’s never really been punished before it’s a big deal to her – she hates to feel she’s done something wrong, and I can relate to that. But I’ll certainly let her know you told us to lighten up.
You so have to tell Flea. Parents make mistakes and kids need to know that. You can put a spin on it such as “well you know you’re disorganised and messy and so consequently I thought you had lost your uniform. I was quite clearly wrong on that count and I am truly sorry. However, the lesson to be learnt is that if you weren’t disorganised and messy in the first place, then you would have known it was at your dads?!”
I did. But punishment stood for all the OTHER messiness.
Glad you told her. Injustice is a real sticker when it comes to children’s memories. I’m not suggesting you were unjust, but you probably don’t want to create a memory that goes “Mum punished me for leaving something at Dad’s house” either.
I wonder if the picking-up gene is just there, or not there. You could be fighting a lot of nature with your nurture. I speak as someone whose children simply do not see a pair of dirty socks on the floor, unless you point them out at close range. Children who have had years of training in the issue. I guess you’re either born with the spotting-dirty-socks ability, or not.
I’m always full of useful information in situations like this. Clearly you need to buy her a new DS game and a very large chocolate cake. Simples.
If it’s any consolation, Dexter was HYSTERICAL last night because he can’t go to a party on Saturday because he’s staying with his Dad. Bearing in mind he only got the invite yesterday. He cried solidly, snot everywhere … for 30 minutes, until I suggested we had a stick fight in the garden and he was right as rain. Kids. Who’d have em.
One of my clearest memories from childhood is my Dad getting angry that we hadn’t tidied away and throwing our toys in the bin. He took them straight back out again, but the memory of seeing my My Little Pony sitting in the bin remains crystal clear, it made a huge impression on me. Flea’s punishment wasn’t just about the uniform, and hopefully it will have got the message across (and being without the game for 24 hours isn’t the end of the world!).
That’s so funny. Poor Flea, I hope you were suitably apologetic 😉
After reading your post and your comments, it sounds like you handled it really, really well. Sure her dad had it, but there was still a lesson in there. I think you can downgrade (or would it be upgrade?) yourself from World’s Meanest Mummy. After your chat Flea seems to think so, too.
I never own up to my children because then they’d suspect I’m fallible and that would undermine their essential childish security! 😉 My daughter, who has much in common with yours tells me that she wishes she could tidy up but she’s genetically incapable of it. It could be an evolutionary thing…
I think I want your daughter… I have a mini diva here who stomps and strops at every given occasion and isn’t really very polite at all and hardly ever does as I ask…..
Just read that you did tell her, and I was going to say that I would do. She’d appreciate your honesty that you made an honest mistake far more.
Ouch
No I’m sorry but I am officially the worlds meanest mummy and I have that on good authority from at least two of my children. Tough love I think some call it and I oftentimes think its tougher on us mums than it is on the kids.
Oh dear, bless Flea, she really sounds to be a lovely little girl. My son (age 3) is a horrendously messy child but his way of solving the problem is by telling me I am wonderful at tidying and then persuading me that it would be better to tidy up the toys for him!
I’m a big fan of the removing a treasured toy if things aren’t done that need to be or for misbehaviour, works every time.
My Mum did that trick with the toys and belongings too. Mean. Despite having three small children and a husband I still remain the messiest person in the house so I can’t ever get at anyone for being untidy. In fact the children are quite tidy, completely unlike me. Yes you’re mean but maybe just give Flea an extra hug instead of admitting it.
Nah! What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.
Awwh Flea will understand and if not she will be on Question time debating it !
I tried J going to football once he just retorted “How can you stop me doing something I love”