Oh I had one of those when I was 17 too. :-) I came home one day to it all on the front lawn. A sign on my bedroom door said if I didn't have all these things picked up, put away properly I could not be in my Aunts wedding in June. It was May 20something on the day I got this. Because it was going to rain I got all my clothes inside. My father said, "If not put away before you go to bed, out they go again" Guess who got it done? :-) Yeah my father told me 3x to clean off the floor of my room and I didn't do it - he was brutal.
Tell me about it. My older daughter's room is far worse but I'm telling myself that in September she's moving into her flat and I'll miss her and her mess.
Mine had explosively cluttered rooms too, but I made it a conscious decision to not get on their cases just because it bugged me. I did, however, make it clear that when such a lifestyle choice crosses the line into others' space (i.e. the family areas), then it's inconsiderate....and that made it a pickable battle worthy of discussion. Prime example (and biggest peeve) was when they'd essentially use the dryer for storage until the next person (me!) needed to do laundry, but someone ELSE had to empty THEIR stuff, clean THEIR lint screen, etc. And no, I would NOT fold their clothes...but that didn't seem to phase 'em none.
Picking battles. Key to not screwing up good kids.
Joey, yes, like you, I've been here before and strangely miss the mess when it's gone.
Anonymoose, agreed. As long as it doesn't spill into "common" areas, leaving someone else (ME) to deal with it. Years ago, when kids lived here full-time, I had the "Pay the Putzfrau" policy. It worked sometimes, but not always since the mess makers were usually broke...
6 comments:
Oh my gosh you understand - Andy has one too - but he is not back from college - he just lives that way.
Oh I had one of those when I was 17 too. :-)
I came home one day to it all on the front lawn.
A sign on my bedroom door said if I didn't have all these things picked up, put away properly I could not be in my Aunts wedding in June. It was May 20something on the day I got this. Because it was going to rain I got all my clothes inside. My father said, "If not put away before you go to bed, out they go again" Guess who got it done? :-) Yeah my father told me 3x to clean off the floor of my room and I didn't do it - he was brutal.
Tell me about it. My older daughter's room is far worse but I'm telling myself that in September she's moving into her flat and I'll miss her and her mess.
Mine had explosively cluttered rooms too, but I made it a conscious decision to not get on their cases just because it bugged me. I did, however, make it clear that when such a lifestyle choice crosses the line into others' space (i.e. the family areas), then it's inconsiderate....and that made it a pickable battle worthy of discussion. Prime example (and biggest peeve) was when they'd essentially use the dryer for storage until the next person (me!) needed to do laundry, but someone ELSE had to empty THEIR stuff, clean THEIR lint screen, etc. And no, I would NOT fold their clothes...but that didn't seem to phase 'em none.
Picking battles. Key to not screwing up good kids.
Chatty, I thought you would understand :)
Peggy, I remember having a messy room at that age too, but my stuff never ended up on the lawn!
Joey, yes, like you, I've been here before and strangely miss the mess when it's gone.
Anonymoose, agreed. As long as it doesn't spill into "common" areas, leaving someone else (ME) to deal with it. Years ago, when kids lived here full-time, I had the "Pay the Putzfrau" policy. It worked sometimes, but not always since the mess makers were usually broke...
Post a Comment