DS going through a Hieronymous Bosch type phase of "creative" activity. Please tell me it's a phase

[mrsgboring]

DS is 3 and for a few months now he has been driving me mad with his constant bizarre building projects, mostly made out of kitchen equipment. I'm sick and tired and pregnant and not very inclined to spend the whole time tidying up, so by the end of the day our kitchen floor is littered with towers of plastic cups, potatoes laid out neatly on a grill pan or stuffed into a cereal box, and toys forced into unnatural unions with household objects. It puts me in mind of this

They are lovely creations in their way - his "washing machine" did have a central circular arrangement with square outline for example. He has made several lovely well thought out things I hardly have the heart to dismantle. Hence, we have long ago lost the battle over not leaving stuff on the floor and not emptying cupboards (most of them are locked, it's just fruit, tins, pans and plastic plates he can get into). It's not as if he doesn't have toys to play with - he has 5 different construction type systems (all well played with) and loads of other toys.

Please tell me I am not alone and it's a phase that will end soon - or any pregnant lady friendly tips on reclaiming the kitchen floor.

[TheMadHouse]

I think maybe you have a visulisation issue here , rather than the other way round.

It sounds fantastic.

[sagacious]

Its a phase

But its a long one

DS (six) is still snaffling any yoghurt pot/piece of string/box going for his conceptual art spaceship projects

[sagacious]

What constitutes sinister artwork???

[mrsgboring]

Madhouse I think you're right. DH commented that it's not exactly the same as people being raped by caterpillars etc. But still. I just can't believe how far my standards have slipped, that I go hunting through floor detritus art for evening meal ingredients.

[mrsgboring]

Oh God, sagacious, another three years at least??? It is all good fun I suppose.

[mrsgboring]

Ruby, I went through a phase of photographing DS's stuff (more the lego and sticklebrick creations though, reflecting my own adult value judgements I suppose) But found I couldn't keep up with the rate of production. Am too lazy tired.

[madlentileater]

think what he might be doing otherwise and cherish his creativity. Taking pics sounds like a good tip. Put them on your computer then he can look back at them after a few months/years!

[mrsgboring]

I do cherish him and his random arty creations really, I honestly do. I just sometimes get down at how my standards have slipped to be constantly stepping over random junk on the floor (am almost too pregnant to see what's on the floor now let alone pick it up). I told DS this afternoon I was fed up with falling over his stuff and he said "But you could go carefully mummy."

Ruby, sinister what goes on in accountants minds, isn't it?

[LadyLiffey]

My son once glued some of the clean laundry into his collage.

I was annoyed, but then I rang the tate immediately!

[LadyLiffey]

Finding a soggy bar inside a pop sock granny-knotted around a door handle was a pleasant surprise. Also, a mushy diswasher tablet in the rice. That was sheer genius.

[mrsgboring]

Your DS does sound like a genius, LadyLiffey. My DS likes to tie things round doorhandles too. But he hasn't glued anything quite so inappropriate into a collage.

[LadyLiffey]

My face was like something from the garden of earthly delights when I had to wash the same clothes again!!!