Remember that Princess who lives in the Kingdom? The one who wanted an iPod nano so she got an iPod nano?
She lost it. AGAIN. For like, the 3rd time. And…she lost her digital camera.
But never fear. She hasn’t lost her cellphone. Not yet. But when she gets home tonight, the phone will be placed into my hands.
I don’t care that she got good grades. Wait. Yes, I do care. I think it’s awesome and I’m really proud of how hard she worked. And despite the fact that the deal was all A’s and she got 4 A minuses and 2 B’s, her father, the King, snuck and bought her a cellphone while I was in Chicago for Blogher. THAT is another post entirely.
But I walked into the princesses bedroom yesterday. Because Princess Curly Q Nosybutt had been whining about the mess that was starting to fall out of the closet and pour out from underneath her sisters bed…
THIS...is from underneath her bed. And the closet.
So I put everything on top of her bed. And I put five garbage bags on her floor.
But then I looked at her dresser
more shit
And her shabby chic dresser is nothing more than just shabby.
And next to her bed…
What a neat child.
I realized five garbage bags just aren’t going to be enough.
To compare and contrast…which, there is no comparison…here is Princess Curly Q Nosybutts side…
And her nightside table…
And lastly, her dresser…
No real reason to show you the neat side, except now you’ll understand why Curly Q is whiny and bitchy all the time. If you were a neat freak like her and had to live in a pigsty…
Anyway.
Today, when Pigsty Princess gets home. I don’t care if she has a 4.75. I don’t care if she is President of the Student Council. I don’t care if her face turns all red and blotchy from crying and begging to not be forced to clean until tomorrow…or the next day…or the next day.
She will cross my palm with her lovely cellphone. And she will go directly into her room and not come out until it’s clean.
So I’m anticipating on never seeing her again.
The good news is, I found her iPod Nano at the bottom of the trough called a closet.
And I’m keeping it.
Her digital camera, too. THAT was underneath her bed. With some of her “missing” brand new clothes.
Ha.
Yes, good grades should definitely be rewarded. But other good behavior has to go along with it. And being that big of a slob…negates the reward for good grades.
Looks like I have all sorts of new electronics to play with.
Wow! Look at all those dolls! If you would replace them with Legos, clothes & gadgets, that would be my younger 2 boys room. I find that we have to attack it as a team to get things cleaned up. Especially when I pull out the vacuum and give them 30 minutes to clear the floor.
My eldest son stayed after school on Friday to help his brother clean his locker. After promising not to make fun or judge. Miracles do happen!
One question is, how did S inherit your messy genes when she’ s not your biological child? The other question is how did E get my (her maternal aunt’s) Type A genetics when both of her biological parents are not the neatest, most organized people? Good thing she got your looks, though! Oh…I digress… As I tell you all the time, you need to stand up to that mob that lives with you and assert your power! You are not a slave! They all need to start helping around the entire house! And, it certainly should start in their bedrooms if they can’t find things. I think confiscating those possessions they hold dear offers good incentive for them to follow your rules. Go for it Sister! And then come whip your nephews into shape. 😉
Removing things from you didn’t help. Nothing helped. Now you know wha it is to live with all that. Too bad the younger one has to live in the same room. At least no-one lived in the same room with you. Those dolls look like old madam alexander dolls. Are they ? Remember paying sister to clean up your room?
It’s like you are taking pictures of my daughter’s mess. Only my daughter has failing grades and falsifying documents on her list of crimes. She’s living in her room until forever. School. Bedroom. She can come out for dinner and to use the bathroom.
As a former teen slob, I have this to say:
1. Payback is a “you know what”. My neice lived with me for a month. I was mortified after the first 3 days. MORTIFIED!!!! One look at her Cyclone devasted room and I called my mom. To apologize for being such a slob growing up.
I was a disaster growing up.. I was always messy.. and I was one that paid my sister to clean my mess..hahaha.. But today?? Today I am an OCD freak that has to have everything in just a perfect way.. go figure.
Wow. Well.
I can see both sides of this. I can see your side as a mother. Holy hell.
BUT, I was also just like her. Good student, prez of this and that.
Let me give you a little help from my mind. To her, this mess is just as overwhelming to her as it is to you. My middle is very disorganized too. Instead of throwing this on her….clean this room!…it might help to break it down into more managable pieces rather than the big picture.
For example. I will tell Cameron….start with your books and your art supplies. Get those picked up and come take to me and I allow him a break. Sometimes a little break, sometimes until the next day, depending on the over all workload.
I learned this as a mechanism for MYSELF a few years back when I was just soooo consumed with being (and failing) at being the perfect SAHM. Baby steps. Just a little at a time.