Does that make me a bad mom?

How many times a day have you taken a little short cut in parenting... perhaps left the jelly off the peanut butter and jelly sandwich... Turned on the TV at night instead of a night light... and allowed them to pour a bowl of cereal instead of the usual eggs, toast and orange juice for breakfast...

Here's my problem, I feel like I'm trying my best, but I wonder if I really am.

Recently my older daughters teacher seemed to imply that I wasn't doing enough in several basic areas of my daughter education and upbringing. She wanted me to be more organized, less messy and to spend more time with my oldest doing flash cards.

I'm going to focus on the messy for now, because the whole spend more time with flash cards after 6.5 hours of school, then another 40 minutes of homework, is making my eye twitch.... So, about me being unorganized. Unorganized is a nice word for Messy...AND..... I AM MESSY.

When I say I am messy.... I mean, I am a reality show's dream. I am so messy, I am in denial... I watched "The Messiest House in America" and actually compared my house... with comments like, "Oh, My livingroom doesn't look like that" or "Atleast my bathroom isn't gross"... Yes... yes, I hear myself. I understand that most people were just thinking "Eeeewwwwwwww" or "Yyyyyuuuuuccccckkkkkkk"... while I am convincing myself that my house is nothing like that.

Actually, I'm just being funny, although I did think those things... the problem with the Messiest house in America is that is was also the dirtiest... and my house isn't dirty. I can see the whole floor in any given room atleast once a week. It's just keeping things put away that is our struggle. No one, including myself, puts anything away.... until it's cleanup time.

That's why I implemented "chore day" . The kids pick chores out of the hat... then do that chore. I have found that as long as each chore involves water somehow... they are all happy!

Now... while I'm writing I have had an epiphany... I am the perfect person for a new show called "The DIY, Self Help, Reality TV Bonanza" and it goes a little like this:

I could use the "Dog Whisperer" to help with my dog, "What not to Wear" to help with my nonexistant wardrobe (you must have read the Saga of the Wrangler Jeans post), "Clean Sweep", or "Clean House" with Neicy... and perhaps.... dare I declare.... I could use a little "Super Nanny", to help keep it all together when it's done. AND while I'm at it... it probably wouldn't hurt to win a million bucks.... hhhmmm.... not quite smart enough for "Who wants to be a Millionaire" maybe I could be a survivor someplace for the week that they are organizing my house, training my dog, and instructing my children on how to behave... AND... here's the bonus... I'll return from the week away much thinner, having only eaten bugs and worms... so I'll be in great shape to go to the city with "What not to Wear".

and...... and..... and..... after all this... I'll be a celebrity, so I can go on "Celebrity Rehab" to try to kick my blogging habit! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Not buying it?

OK.

So, my house is messy, my kids a tad unruly, my clothes 20 years outdated... or should I say, undated... and my dog nearly pulls my arm out when walking and another dog comes into view... but all in all.... it's not bad.

I have three fantastic kids that periodically shock me with their kindness and thoughtfulness (this morning I received a hand written poem from my 7 year old, a handmade fork windchime from my 5 year old (real forks.. ha ha ha) and a big hug from my 4 year old)

Life is good!

HOW TO GET YOUR WHOLE HOUSE CLEAN IN ONE HOUR

As the mother of three children under the age of 7, my house is a mess.

I marvel at the homes of my friends and relatives who seem to be able to keep your homes so tidy and clean it looks like a furniture showroom. I have told myself (and anyone that will listen) it's because I am either too busy to go following them around and picking up immediately after them or it doesn't bother me and I'd rather let them experience youth then stand over them making them scrub floors (obviously an exaggeration).

Here's the truth. I'm tired and it doesn't bother me enough to change how I am parenting. I get up, the kids get up, we all leave the house to go to work or school or preschool. We all return, they play while I cook dinner, we all hang out for 1 hour then they go to bed, then I go to bed. Did I mention that all starts at 5:00am and bedtime is 8:00pm. I'm usually asleep by 8:30pm.

It would seem that there isn't a lot of time for cleaning... or messing up the house for that matter. However, if you are a parent with three small children, you are aware that they don't need much time to pull out the Lego's and spread-em all over the living room floor. Or the floor puzzle.

I know, I know, I can hear my sister-in-law with the always tidy, and never messy house say, "Get them to clean it up before they come to the table".

I have finally found a solution that works for me... and works for the kids.

The Pile Method.

I start in the messiest room and I literally sweep EVERYTHING into a pile. Dolls, Puzzle pieces, dog hair, paper plates, whatever is under the couch, or table. I sweep across the rug, I sweep under everything and end up with a big pile of STUFF in the room. This stuff can be broken down into 3 basic categories
1. Clothes - if your kids are like mine, they are constantly taking their clothes off, or shoes off, or socks off.... and just dropping them where they are
2. Toys - like I explained, puzzle pieces, Lego's, littlest pet shop toys - houses - furniture
3. Garbage - empty paper cups, plates, used tissues, you know things that were on the coffee table that maybe fell onto the floor.

So, it takes about 5 minutes to sweep everything into a pile.

I give the kids 5 minutes to pick out the stuff that they want to keep and put it away.

I put everything else in the trash, then I sweep the rest into the garbage with the dust pan and it's done.

That's right.

I go from Incredibly messy, to incredibly clean in 15 minutes.

I then apply this to their bedroom, the dining room (where our kitchen table is).

PAINFULLY, I also apply this method to myself in my own room.

Here's the trick.

The trick is to really throw the stuff out. If the kids see that their toys are going in the trash, then they will be more likely to pick them up. You can't threaten and not follow-through.

Prepare yourself. Prepare yourself for your children's initial cavalier attitude towards expensive toys that you believe you would cherish. Prepare yourself for the (what you would believe) misplaced devotion to the doll you got from the dollar store. Prepare yourself. Just get rid of it.

My biggest battle with The Pile Method, was the waste of money. Here's the thing. Having the house cleaned up and straightened up and tidy.... is relaxing. The children are relaxed. I am relaxed and happy to be in that space.

I have been using the pile method for several months and my children's toys have been weeded out to the point where they are quick to clean up the toys in the pile, lest they end up in the garbage.

Ahhhhhh life is good.

Now is someone could just help me get the piles of laundry folded and put away..... sigh.......