what would you think if you walked into my house right now?

[IAmBooyhoo]

the hall and kitchen floors are covered in muddy paw prints, shoe prints and are foot prints. i could have mopped it ten times today and they would still be there because the dcs and the dog jsut run in and out all day. it looks like i haven't cleaned in weeks but really it is one day's worth of dirt (mopped last night). it's always like this. i have a no shoe policy but TBH i can't enforce it. the dcs come in and out from the garden so often that they would spend more time taking off/putting on shoes than actually playing. and even then they take their shoes off outside and play barefoot in the garden (paddling pool out today aswell) so they bring the dirt in on their bare feet. i'm not even going to contemplate mopping everytime one of them comes in because as soon as i do another willl be in. but it just looks awful. if i had a visitor i woul dbe mortified but what can i do? what would you think if you saw this in someones's house?

I would think "happy kids happy dog looks just like mine"

Who gives a fuck? It's sunny - enjoy it!

I'd think 'Oh look - pawprints, there must be a dog! Where's the dog and can I pat it?'
Doormat?

I'd think 'Great - a real woman lives here, when's she getting the wine out'.

You know my Gran used to say

"Them that mind don't matter and them that matter don't mind"

It's my mantra over dirt.

I'd think gawd, mop your bloody floors! just kidding, I would just think thank god there are people like me out there fighting the endless battle of kids bringing dirt in from the garden! My kitchen floor constantly looks black because of the dc and outside!

I would also think, show me the mutt, immediately. I love dogs!

I wouldn't be mortified with your floor and anyone who catsbumfaced at it would have to be a miserable toad of the likes I've yet to meet!

door mats are a pain in the bloody arse in this house. they catch under the doors and end up jamming the door halfway open and when they aren't doing that the dog takes them outside to chew and roll about on . the one that is still in the hall is just brown with mud and that was fresh down this morning (i wash them every night).

To give you a comparison I am sat looking at my lounge floor that is littered with day old celery pieces, paper, a tooth brush, shoes, pencils, cushions, a washing up bowl of seedling compost, a toilet roll, a roll of sticky tape and a giant plastic grasshopper. :)

when i say visitor, i probably mean my mum tbh. i keep thinking, "what will i do if mum calls over" and no amount of "mum, chill. kids are dirty" would convince her that thsi is acceptable. is it really normal? everyone else i know has clean houses (weirdos )

thank you headin that has helped muchly!

I'd think that you looked like a fun family to be with. There is a difference in more than a couple of days worth of living dirt and pathologically hazardous to health.

i try to tell myself that anyone who visits me from a clean home could only feel better by seeing mine!

Only boring people have clean houses

i'm considering buying a sign that says that to hang by my front door. give people a heads up

I would think it looks like my house and then forget it.

i've found a sign on ebay that says "a clean house is the sign of a broken computer" very apt in this house!

I don't have a dog for the very reason they too messy! I have three children who play in & out all day but I've bought them croc type shoes so they just kick off when coming in & so easy to put back on! Not a perfectly clean floor but one I wouldn't mind my mum seeing!!

I'd chuck my shoes off and run in and out playing with the kids.

Seriously, if you must mop every day, do as you are, and mop once, before bed. That's enough.

Can't recommend Crocs enough for kids at this time of year, perfect indoor/outdoor shoes, so if you can't do 'no shoes', maybe do 'playing out shoes'...made of rubber so wipe clean.

croc shoes!! right. dcs are getting crocs tomorow. gonna get myself some to actually and then the dcs can see me kicking mine off at the door too. do they dog versions?

Id think 'cor shes more on the ball than me, only dirty floors'

Hahahaha I have an image of my humungous gsd x with pretty crocs on his paws

I'd think you have a gaggle of kids and a hound that are having fun playing. I've only just cleaned up from having 5 of them after school and my house looked exactly the same as that when the parent arrived. She's my friend though so I know that she cared not one jot!

Dog crocs do you know I wouldn't be at all surprised if they did!!
Good luck with the shoe training

I would think it was a home from home, as you have described perfectly my kitchen floor. I was considering mopping it just now while DS has a nap (we're in Canada) but there really is no point as his friends will be back later to make more footprints! I gave it a quick sweep, made a cup of tea and sat down on here. My ironing is staring at me but I'm choosing to ignore it :) Cleaning floors is my all time worst chore! I hate it. If you have kids and dogs like me you just can't keep it clean unless you don't let them in!

dog crocs <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=crocs+dog&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rlz=1T4ACAW_en___GB393&biw=1525&bih=690&tbm=isch&tbnid=qAIfK5L0b1BLjM:&imgrefurl=www.polyvore.com/crocs_dog_bed/thing%3Fid%3D27206875&docid=MgRkyCe2lEjkMM&imgurl=www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing%253F.out%253Djpg%2526size%253Dl%2526tid%253D27206875&w=300&h=300&ei=rFtzT-KrC87D8QO9pMEu&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=664&vpy=147&dur=277&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=130&ty=138&sig=108709411404694708822&page=1&tbnh=162&tbnw=162&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here

I would think, 'that looks just like my house'!