Hello to all.
EHM You are kind. Life is much easier now than it was with 2 little ones, though sometimes I need to remind myself of that! I thoroughly approve of you talking to Ellie, even about housework type things. I hate it when I see children who don't get spoken to by their parents for ages at a time. I chatted to mine all the time! Thinking of the w/m drawer, you can imagine the conversation. "Oh, look, this is dirty, isn't it? It won't work as well if it is dirty. I'd better clean it. There, that's better!" See a problem, decide on a solution, carry it out, put it back, briefly admire result. Good things to learn, I think!
luda I have to say that you made me earlier. I am a bit ott on ironing (there, admitted it!) and I have a theory that people who don't iron are scruffy and I'd be embarassed to walk outside the house like that (or even be in the house!) and I've met you, ds and dd2 twice and you're perfectly well presented, the three of you! Makes me wonder if my hours spent at the ironing board are mostly in vain! It is good to question yourself sometimes, I think. You can be so rigid in your rules of what must be done that you fail to see that it doesn't have to be so much hard work to look just as good!
tort I don't think I knew that the drawer of the w/m came out for ages, either. It was probably the instructions for washing waterproof clothing that made me do it for the first time. I've worked since dd was about 4 yrs old. Only for about 20 or 25 hours a week max, though and only school hours. I feel much better in myself when I'm working, for lots of reasons. Not, I hasten to add, that I'm making any judgement on anyone who does or doesn't work. One of my closest friends hasn't gone back to work since having the children even though they are both now in secondary school. It is very much a personal choice. I met someone in work today who I haven't spoken to since about 1992. He was so shocked to hear that ds and dd are now in secondary school! He remembers me as a 20/21 yr old fresh out of college!
Well, we've just finished tea. Dh is away atm so I'll load the d/w and then get on with some ironing. I might well have a sort through first and ask myself if each garment really needs ironing, though!