I went to the house of some people who didn't have children yesterday

[Cappuccino]

it was like an oasis of calm

it was all grown up and there were fresh flowers in vases at coffee table height

and there was carpet (we can't have carpet because of dd1's walking frame, no 'shoes at the door' for us because her wheels are unwipeable and covered in crud)

there was a little table with a laptop on and some lovely stationery

it looked like to clean it you would just need to wander around with a feather duster and run a vac round

you wouldn't have to move a load of shite and then pry up squashed raisins

I came home quite depressed

My sisters houses are like this.

Acres of cream carpet

Beautiful flowers

Gorgeous china

Lovely hand soap

Unmarked cream paintwork

Bet they get to have sex on Sunday mornings as well without a little face appearing round the door and .

Can you tell I'm not over this yet?

at 6pm the day just pondered seamlessly on

they weren't thinking about what time bedtime was and what time they needed to eat and if any dc were going to fall asleep in the car and ruin the evening

they just went on with their day, as if time was of no importance

i remember those days.

i had a coffee table once.

havent had one since dd1 was born.

it also used to take 10mins to tidy each room.

[sighs]

they can have mine

When we move on next, I am giving up Childminding,

DGd is now living back with Mum,

Ds & DDIL have no children to bring and mess up my house, so we WILL have a house you so describe .

It will have only taken me 30 years to get it

I was thinking about this yesterday as I had just finished tidying the kitchen to a reasonable standard (never really spotless, it never looks like that anymore!) and then DD toddles in and starts pulling all the recycling out of the cupboards whilst simulanteously dropping raisins on the floor...BUT I have a friends WITH children whose house is as you describe your friends' house. There's something unnatural about that. I would not like to live in a house (with kids) which looks as though no child lives there...

and do you know what i bet they ghave moment of aching quiet when they have no reason to do anything and it is all quite depressing.
can you imagine their home on christmas morning-god the painful silence....

oh no they have conversations

and friends

What you need is one of those nauseating fridge magnets or signs to put up in your kitchen about how a home without children/dog mess in the hallway/whatever is like living in a gulag. That'll remind you how LUCKY you are.

yes-but christmas morning-just think.....

they get to eat cake in peace.

on christmas morning they will lie in till 9am and then have champagne and pain au chocolat in bed in aforementioned blissful silence

then they will put lovely grown-up music on and potter round cooking a lovely indulgent lunch for two with lobster or oysters to start

then watch a film in the afternoon

there will be no rictus grins, no batteries and no tears all day.

I hate them too

I went to stay with friends for a weekend, ok for half a day, then so boring, nothing to do, no tidying up to do, sat there all sunday watching crap on the telly, no reason to go to the opark or do anything.

dh and ds have been away for the weekend. i have been home alone, well out and about really. the house is exactly as it was when the cleaner left friday, one cup and glass in dish washer.

this morning i read the papers in bed and then went and de cluttered and re arranged a few things. by not having to clear up the daily mess i have actually made things look ten times better. they arrive in 2 hours, will just sit and look at my handy work before chaos ensues. sigh.

i ate a cake in the toilet this morning so no little people could spot me then start begging and moaning for some

I have started eaing ice-cream when out and about and making sure the hood is up on DD's buggy so she can't twist round and spot me . Bless her.

guitargirl, I too have learnt that trick

did they have a bathroom with beautiful clean fluffy towels neatly folded? and colour co-ordinared expensive toiletries in glass bottles? and scented candles ? and clean shiny surfaces?

sigh

Same here, I hide in the kitchen and guzzle my secret fix of Pepsi Max. I then conceal it behind things until I need another sip.

I bet they didn't have a huge pile of assorted shoes by the door either

put mine for a nap. thought... shall i tidy... or read sunday papers and drink caffeine filled liquid..

stuff tidying. they'll only trash it as soon as they wake.

i had to wake dp up at 4am this morning just to have uninterupted sex. then he asked "did you have a bad dream?" after

My MILs house is like this, but she is a childminder! I actually prefer a BIT of mess arund. Not loads, but enough to make it a home and feel confortable. In somebodys house that is a bit too nice, I was constantly worrying that I will make a mark on something or mess something up.