To get annoyed with the DC for making a mess when I've spent all day clearing up the week-end chaos?

[MorocconOil]

Usually I just sigh and accept it when the DC pull everything out, leave fruit peelings lying around, rearrange the furniture etc when I've spent time clearing up. They are just children after all.

However today I spent hours putting the house straight after the week-end. While I was making the tea DD 2.8 kept rolling the rugs up sending dust and dirt everywhere. It just really p**d me off, and I gave her a stern talking to.

What do you do in these situations? Does it bother you, or do you just accept it's what children do?

You all must have very tidy DC or have learnt to be oblivious to their mess.

i dont let it bother me to be honest but do encourage my ds 2.7 to put things in bin anything else can be put back and they are only small after all

i tend to clean and then join in playing with my ds and then just tidy up as we go along

if i'm cleaning my ds loves to hoover so i let him hoover or polish or sweep but i dont stress at him for messing things as up as he doesnt know any better and is only usually trying to help

I think it's having 3 of them that makes it so hard. I just can't keep up with the avalanche of mess 3 DC make. I need to get them to help more but that's easier said than done when they just don't seem to hear my voice

It drives me insane. I nearly started this thread yesterday. We are midway through our 8 week summer hols, my house looks like a tip. dh has been away for 4 days so thought would tidy up yesterday. ds's both stirct instructions to help - all very well and good as they're bored when you're cleaning up and not entertaining them but it take 3x as long when they help. 4 hours later it didn't look like I'd touched it. 2 hours back to square one, plates everywhere, toys, clothes, bathroom a mess etc etc.... Lost the plot. End result dh comes home, house still a tip, me and boys grumpy....

I don't have a solution, just empathy. I used to be very house proud, have learnt to relax and they re only 3 and 7 but I do expect them to take their plates to the kitchen, clothes to the laundry etc...but it's such hard work enforcing it all the time without being premanently on their backs and grumpy....oh to have a cleaning fairy

you can'#t expect little ones to care whether you cleaned imo

Sibble, I try to get DSs 6 and 8 to do jobs, and it makes me grumpy

I know, yesterday ds2 likes to squirt the bathroom cleaner (about 10x as much as you need !) and use the electric toothbrush to clean (I use it around the sink, grouting etc) yesterday I went to the en-suite to put toilet cleaner down, came back and he was standing there with it in his mouth - eurgh...and so it went on

What are they like?
I keep our toilet brush well out of reach after one the DSs once used it to brush his hair.

I just accept that they are children and its more important to me that they explore and have fun with me than have a mother who is constantly cleaning/complaining about cleaning!

I know they need to explore and have fun, which they really do. They have a room in the cellar to make as much mess as they want, and they have also taken over the loft, as well as having a bedroom each. Our bedroom is strewn with toys/ childrens books and the living areas are also filled with toys.

I don't go on about cleaning to them, it's just sometimes I find the mess unbearable. We've probably just got too much 'stuff' and need a good clearout.

Yes, that could be it. I had a big clearout a few days ago and I feel like I can really breathe now, iykwim. Sorry if I sounded abrupt- I don't think I come across very well on here!

My boys explore - a bit too much exploring hence the mess. I know that drowning feeling, have just thrown the weekend papers (the only ones I buy) unread as usual. Spent 6 hours ironing this week while they had friends to play. It's that continual feeling of drudgery for nothing as it always looks the same - a mess. We've just given the boys the double garage as a play room, old carpet sofas etc - now it just looks an extension of the house no floor space for toys.

Have thought of lurking on the good housekeeping thread as I really ahve no clue how to get on top of it - it takes me 3 hours to get out the house of a morning, hoover, dishes, tidy up , make beds etc etc... I have no idea how people clean properly other than the superficial.

IMO as I used to work it's easier as you're out the house most of the time so less time to make a mess. I also used it as an excuse to have a cleaner so very easy .

Anyway had better get off here and entertain them otherwise I'll be monaing - how di dthat happen!

Oh I knew what you meant. I would really hate to become one of those Mum's who constantly nags about crumbs, mud etc. I just wish my boys would put things away sometimes once without being asked.[sigh]

They have too many toys

I got my dd to do it by asking her to help me organise her room, the best places to put things etc and so far, she has been quite keen at about putting things back in the right place
Though as I say, it has only benn a few days

I think we need to get some better shelves in their rooms for storing toys. One of the problems is DD (2) opens board games, mixes up all the pieces, takes them from room-too-room and I never get the chance to put them back in the right boxes. It's all a muddle really.

I should spend less time on here, although it keeps me sane to have a break from all the sorting.

A friend advised me to let them have electronic games to keep the mess down.

yes, stick them in front of the computer all day, that will keep your house tidy!!

And I can sit on MN all day without having to worry about the mess

Hmm, you would need a computer each!
Probably worth it