I am constantly amazed at what my children don’t see (or hear) – that are so obvious to me.  For example, last night I had the kids clean their rooms (actually, I’d been asking for a few days).  I got a lot of this kind of push back, “I said I would!”  To which I responded, “Well, I mean before I age another year!”  Or, “Mom, it’s clean.”  To which I responded, “I can’t even walk in there without stepping on clothes.  How can that be clean?”

My daughter’s learned a good trick of pushing the s*** on her floor away from my view when I walk by so it LOOKS like her room is clean, when it’s not!

What’s the deal here?  And, am I missing something?  Is this a hormonal thing?

I started to think of the things my kids don’t seem to like and I’ve got a long list already!

  • When I say, “Time to wrap it up and get to bed.”
  • When I pick them up late
  • When I pick them up too early
  • Bleu Cheese
  • Braces
  • Chores (of any kind)
  • Cleaning up (of any room or location)
  • Confessing (admitting to s*** when they know I know)
  • Medicine
  • Millipedes running across their room before bedtime
  • Hugging in public (when I do it to them or other people, particularly strangers)
  • Having their picture taken at the moment when I want to take it
  • Flushing the toilet (this pisses me off — no pun intended!)
  • Shopping or running errands (with me)
  • Siblings (sometimes)
  • Exams/Tests or me asking about Exams/Tests
  • When the internet is down. Might as well go to bed because what the h*** else is there to do?
  • Egg Salad
  • Turning Off the TV/Xbox/Phone/Ipad
  • Hair Cuts (this seems weird to me – isn’t this relaxing?)
  • Waiting, walking, waiting or walking (“Why can’t you drop us at the door and go park the car?”)
  • Homework
  • Lectures (from me or a teacher)
  • Making their beds (I just ignore this part of their room)
  • Not knowing what I’m talking about when I’m whispering to someone else. Why are they so nosey and why can they hear whispering when they can’t hear me talk to them directly??
  • Washing their faces at night or “remembering” to brush their teeth

There are lots of things I don’t like too!  I don’t like sounding like my mom when I’m screaming at kids to get s*** done.  I don’t like to pick up wet towels off the floors of rooms.  And, I don’t like to drive into the garage and see the garbage cans still at the end of the driveway (when any one of my kids could have brought them already).

So, it’s Monday. Rooms are cleaned. Kids are still asleep and all is good with the world (for about 2 more minutes until #1 gets up and it starts all over again!).  I’m thinking if we did the Naked and Afraid thing, there wouldn’t be any clothes or towels to pick up! 🙂

Have a great day!