I suck at my job, I hate cleaning, my house is a mess and I am tired of constantly telling the kids to clean up after themselves!!!
I need a maid, a maid would be nice, someone who comes into the house to do one thing, clean, and then leaves!! That would be wonderful. I suck at cleaning, and I suck at 'teaching' my kids to clean! Granted, my house does not look like that show on TV, hoarders, but it is pretty darn close, well, maybe not, but some days it feels like it is!!! I sometimes wish I could just have 1 week, with out kids here, well, maybe a couple of days would do. I know someday my wish will come true when they all move out, but seriously, I don't think that is going to make me a 'better' house wife/cleaner. Sigh....
Spring is the time of year to get things done isn't it? Well, I can't tell you if there has ever been, in the 13 yrs we've been here, or the 14 1/2 yrs of being a wife, a time I've done 'spring' cleaning. It basically happens when I get sick and tired of seeing it dirty, or disgusting!! Does it all stem back to training, was I trained growing up, was my mom trained by her mom, and so on? Could be, as I sit here and try to recall, there isn't a time that stands out in my mind of where I was trained to do any house work. There was house work we did growing up, don't get me wrong, but more than likely the majority of the 'deep' cleaning was done while I was at school, so why would there have been training? I'm sure when I came home from school that was the last thing on my moms mind to do, re clean something just to train me. So is this my time to instill these cleaning habits into my children, since they are at home with me, if so, I'm failing!!! I am crashing and burning. I would rather play with them, or read, or watch TV, play on the computer, stamp, heck I would rather pull weeds or garden, than clean (and I hate getting dirt under my nails).
What is one to do?? Is there something you do to help motivate you? Or do you have a maid?? Don't tell me if you do ;)
5 comments:
I wish I had a maid! And not one of those maid services where you have to pick everything up before they come...what good is that? If it's any consolation, my kids are only 4 and 2 and I often feel like I fail teaching them to clean. Same as you, I'd rather do fun things with them...but then I try bits here and there. Besides, spring cleaning...what's that?
Oh - you are so a woman after my own heart! I could have been writing your post (seriously)! You are not alone... I am so frustrated with the state of my home but I just can't 'get there' - to the place where I will be 100% cleaned up, caught up etc! I too, have kids in my house all day and then by night I'm so exhausted, I'd rather read a book and relax... I better keep watching hoarders though to keep the fear alive ;)
You're a good woman (that covers all your titles!) - don't get too discouraged!
It's so easy to feel like things will never be the way we want them to be. I really benefit from having people in my house regularly (care groups, teaching, etc.). Without that motivation I'd be done for. Keep working with the kids, they do need to know how to do stuff. I'm gradually seeing some pay-off in this area. Don't give up, just do the next thing, take pride in a job well done, and don't let what you haven't done eat you up.
Here's how I see it; when I was young I had to wash walls and vacuum and dust and do dishes and wash floors and clean toilets and . . . I think you get my point . . . and I hate cleaning. If you find someone who loves cleaning and doesn't have OCD, send them my way.
One day your children will be grown up and will have moved out and you will have plenty of time to clean, until then enjoy every moment you have with them doing the fun things. We have them with us for such a short time - a messy house for 20 years is a small price to pay for the love and memories. Clean it all up in the 40 years after they move out. And things won't get messy nearly as often because there won't be anyone to mess them.
As for teaching them to clean - I've finally discovered a way to get mine to help. They each have a room to clean every week. It takes 1/2 hour to do it and if they don't want to - no fun stuff until it's done. I can't however get them to do anything without having to ask though.
Finally, anyone who has a problem with a home that isn't 'perfect' need not come by.
You are a great MOM and that's what will really count in the end. It gets easier later, when the kids are older. It can be discouraging when the kids are younger and it feels like there's never enough time.
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