staying sane amidst the mundane is an online journal written by melanie. You can find the staying sane amidst the mundane archives here or access all of Blissfully Domestic’s online journals here.

Yesterday my six-year-old was mad at me for making her clean up our shoe rack.  We were rushing madly around trying to make sure the apartment was ready for our totally happening SuperBowl party (to which only one invited guest came—maybe we’re not as happening as I thought!).  I figured I would kill two birds with one stone by giving her something to do that would help me out and keep her from making a mess somewhere else.

I knew this was a job she could handle, because she had done it (rather enthusiastically) a few weeks earlier.  I was surprised when she wasn’t too excited about doing it this time.  With the threat of tears causing her voice to break, she asked me why people had to make such a mess of all her hard work.

I have to admit I was a little bit speechless.  Does she not realize that this is the thought that I have every single day, more than once each day?  I have yet to clean a room and return to find it spotless if the kids have been in there.  How many times a day do I clean up the same 5 rooms only to turn around and realize it’s time to clean up again?!

She started to clean out the shoes and get the area cleaned up.  I thought the matter was resolved until she came up to me a few minutes later.  “Mom?  Could we sometime have a family get-together where someone can talk about things that are making them worried?  And the person who is worried can preach to the others about what is bothering them? “

Sounds like a great idea to me. Where’s the pulpit?

Photo by tinyfroglet

melanie is amazed by how little time it takes her kids to turn her house into a place that qualifies for “disaster relief.” you can find her taking a break from the homemaking doldrums at her blog, tales from the crib.