Copying last month's thread.
So for those who don't know the fledglings is a long running thread. Some of us seem clicky but that is because we have been chatting on these threads for nearly half a decade makes everyone feel old we quite like fresh blood though so feel free to jump in and join us.
Three key points to keep in mind:
(1)No perfectionism allowed - this is harder than you would imagine
(2)You are never behind just start where you are and anything you do is progress.
(3) It didn't get into a mess overnight, it won't get tidy over night - accept it will take time to get on top of things and you will be happier.
If you are new then trying to spend 15mins decluttering and the babysteps.
Some of us Bitchy can have scary looking lists. One word of advice ignore them. Do what you can, anything is better then nothing, and don't judge yourself against others, we won't be judging you.
Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.
Housekeeping
It's the clutter shouting "Mayday" as the Fledglings spring into action
GoingGoingGoth · 30/04/2014 22:12
Bitchy - nooooooooooo, don't say that about the melatonin! Someone told me that children adjust to it and the effect wears off, but that if they stop taking it for a week it 'resets' the body and it will start working again.
Swan - sorry your day is getting you down. What happens if you just step back and let your DC do their homework without any input from you? (OK, maybe not DS2). You seem to be shouldering an awful lot of responsibility for them. That's bad luck about the holiday dates. If I were you, I'd ask permission, emphasizing that it's an important holiday for family reasons (you'll have to think of one!). I did that when we went to France several years ago and we were given permission. In my case, I said it was my mother's 70th birthday (true) and was a rare chance for my children to spend time with her.
carpe! Welcome back 
.
newlark - hurrah for no weekend homework! Glad you had a good night out on Saturday.
Alice - oh, please tell me the melatonin works! Does your DS have ASD too? The consultant told us that people with ASD produce lower amounts of melatonin and often need it topped up.
SC - thanks for your kind words. Glad to hear you had a lovely holiday, even if you are sore now.
Did I hear a couple of fledglings mention half-century birthdays? 
DH spent his 50th in the doctor's surgery and in bed, taking handfuls of steroids and painkillers. It seemed horribly symbolic, although he has bounced back. At least we didn't have to spend any money on a celebratory dinner 
.
We have been to work, aided by our assistant, DS2, who absolutely loved stamping all the parcels. Been food shopping. Planning to go for a walk shortly.
[snaffles calorie-free 
] Hello again Carpe good to see you!
Bitchy ooh, please tell us when this week and at least we can send virtual cake! Hope you get the weather you want for your celebration! I didn't have plans but then my 2 dsis's and 1 db (and poss nephew) announced they were coming over here to celebrate with me during closest w/e - really, really touched as they are all really busy - planning very drunken relaxed lunch in the garden! Dh under strict instructions NOT to arrange any surprises although I do love a good Mariachi band 
Like you, worried about being well for it. Still having intermittent stomach probs just crossing my fingers and living on rice (and yes, need to get on with tests).
As for motivation, not very original but have you tried the power of one/or a half/or a quarter?
Kind of reckoned PA busy with her new gc .... hope all well though ...pls send her my best as not on Facebook or anything like that
Swan you are a better/much more patient parent than me! DD refused to have a bath last night (admittedly she was very tired) so I'm afraid I set her alarm 20 mins early this morning and had to virtually forcibly march her in to the shower. She was not amused. Impossible with strapping teenage lad though! Really 
to hear about your ds2 trembling and crying over prospect of hwk - do the school know that he is so distressed? - That is so horrible for him (and you).
Re: holiday; I'd be truthful with the school and say you made a genune mistake.
Glad the shows went well Newlark despite being very tiring for small people
Good luck with decluttering Alice!
Totally gorgeous sunny day here! Must dash - dd's tutor imminent ...
Welcome back trazzles and Carpe - nice to see you again.
Today has been a nice day, with intervals of absolute grot on all sides. DS1 being very challenging, DH and I overreacting and making him worse till the whole thing escalates beyond belief. 
So long as I can confine the TV people to the grown-up end of the sitting room, it shouldn't be too bad tomorrow... That end is swept, polished, tidied and hoovered to within an inch of its life! Hoping that there will be good news tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
Nice visit to Funfair, ds2 in heaven, and enjoying all the caterpillar/merryground rides still, and practising his overarm bowling on the coconut shy type stalls So long walk for both of us.
Melatonin discussion in relation to bedwetting interesting as my brother was a wonderful sleeper up to his teens but a terrible bedwetter, also drank pints of milk and sacks of cereal, so Alice may be you are right it can over do things.
Toffee I had heard that thing about blue light before and I shouldn't be on the computer now We are struggling to stop ds1 go on dsi before bed, or dd to go on her phone before bed (confiscation proving only solution)
The other thing I read recently which was very interesting was that exposure to sun BEFORE 12am midday, increased eve melatonin in children and teens and meant their sleep patterns were better. So we now open ds1's window in the morning and the kitchen window so that even if we aren't outside unadulterated sun comes in. I don't know whether it counts if sun comes through glass.. Makes it very hard doesn't for children/teens though when most of their pre-midday waking hours are spent indoors. Even sport is usually after lunch.
Blue I remember three year old dd being the most trying experience of my entire life, just the impossibility of finding what she wanted and why she was screaming so I can sympathise with 3-6 year olds being very exhausting irrational beings, whilst in hindsight needing an enormous amount of love and understanding. Poor you. Hope tomorrow is better and tv crew (if I understand rightly) gets a good picture for campaign
SUMMARY
Trazzles'is back!
J has been swimming (such good news) and things are looking up
Mercury & Toffee both got a lie ins.
Alice is bee free and is decluttering. Good luck
newlark's show went well, so had a quiet day on Sunday
SC has a BSA from riding. (Horses) Remember 50 is the new 30
It's also Bitchy's birthday this week, not sure if I should mention it here, but I think it's time for one of our virtual piss ups parties.
PA says hello, hope she's doing ok.
Swan has holiday booking problems hides the fact you said history was boring
to CarpeJugulum "Hello stranger"
Engels has been to the zoo!
Good luck with the TV people tomorrow Blue
WhoKnows went geocaching. 
We've got 2 in our local park, really must do it rather than just talk about it, I really enjoyed it the time I did it.
Fairly relaxing day here, apart from Dd wetting herself because she couldn't be bothered to come in from the garden. She wasn't impressed at being stuck in the bath and having an early night, but we're not going there again. (I hope)
Quick ta da
Beds made
Dw unloaded and reloaded
Lunches made
Recycling bagged up
Dc up, fed, ready for school
Rr living room
Just need to hang the wasging out and we are ready to go
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just a tip if you fit in a historical walk tomorrow Toffee (and survive Ed Pysch visit pre-tidy today ) Ds2 did a local history project for school aged 8, and he absolutely loved walking around chatting, and taking photos of the buildings and sorting them into Victorian, Georgian and 30's or Modern, taking note of things like garages in post war houses. Dd hates walking!
So, despite getting up at 6.30, dd rang up from school saying she felt ill. So I had to pick her up, not the best news from an attendance percentage angle..She is now moping round the house.
I am tackling the garden today. Lots of green rubbish, and the perennial problem of Steptoes yard. Only I am lying down first, feel a bit wobbly after getting everyone off to school with PE kits and homework, and picking up dd.
Oh yes and I take it back about the history, as it was actually quite interesting, How To Become a Knight. Ds2 told me that the important thing was to have a bath first , then you sat up all night praying, then you were knighted..Then we discussed Princes in the Tower and whether Richard killed them or not, at which point I suddenly decided it was a pointless discussion as every king in history has killed many many (presumably innocent)people, either through war or execution. Why pick on Richard anyway?
list
get rid of redundant mops in garden
throw out old daffs
bag up old garden cuttings x 3 bags
food compost bucket, order new one and dispose of existing
move rubbish to the front
stack empty terracotta pots
get rid of paint pots
sweep up mud
utility. wash coat, wash blanket
cat food bowls dw
rugby boots shake out
more books upstairs to landing
no more washing till existing stuff sorted out
boudoir - put away clean clothes so it doesn't revert
hoover dh's side of the bed
clean basin in boudoir
take washing downstairs to main pile
(Sneaks in and leaves 
and in the naughty corner)
DD bought herself some rollerskates on Saturday so for the rest of the weekend they seem to have been surgically attached to her feet and she has wanted to go out practicing hourly! Hopefully it will strengthen her legs and her breaststroke will be even better
As her school project this term is Romans, we popped down to Bath to visit the baths and met up with my sister for lunch too.
Ta Da
- Multiple loads of laundry in and hung outside to dry
- Dry clothes and towels put away
- Potted on some veg seedlings and covered potatoes with more soil
- Went for a run
- Homework supervised
- Studiously ignored the mess(es) DH has made in the kitchen so he had to do the washing up himself
- Put suitcases back out in the garage
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