The trouble is that I do say NO much more than I say YES. I hate that damned-if-I-don't, damned-if-I-do feeling. Happy kids, filthy house. Irritated children, clean abode. There has to be a middle ground and I'm hoping to find it as the weather warms...
The jumping off point here is a clean house. Right now, the house is clean. The floors are clean, the bathrooms are clean, the laundry is caught up (sort of) and the dishwasher is humming. Each room is fairly neat. Yesterday I told the kids that if the house looks like this we can do fun things! ALL SUMMER LONG! Outside to play, getting squirted with the hose, off to the park, the zoo, the movies, the pool, etc. I can be a YES mom. But I need help. I tried to explain that if they would help me by cleaning up their small messes immediately, then we would have time for the fun stuff. Yesterday it worked!
The house was neat when I got up and neat when I went to bed. We spent a majority of the day outside. I cleaned up the yard a little--pulled down dried Clematis vines while the kids played in the sand box. Took some pics of the girls in the wooded area behind the house. Grilled out. Took a walk after dinner and ended it all with an ice cream treat for the girlies.
It feels great! Ever the realist, my DH is already giving this clean house business about a week...but ever the optimist, I will hold on to the hope that I can make this last through the Summer.
Truth is, there are 4 little mess makers in this house and only one of me. If I can keep them motivated to help, it will work!!
Here's to a happy Summer, helpful kiddos, and a season full of YESes!
