A few days ago, a friend of mine showed up at my house to drop something off just as I was leaving to go to my Physical Therapy appointment. I told her to head in and talk with my girls, and hurried on my way. About an hour later, as I was leaving my appointment, my cell phone rang. It was her, telling me she was leaving my house and taking my girls with her.
"Wait," I said, "if you are just leaving my house, you've been there an hour. Did you clean my house?"
"I didn't, but yeah, it's clean. That's why I'm taking your girls. They worked hard."
And, sure enough, I arrived home to a sparkly clean house, and it was delightful. But, the best part to me is the residual effect. The part where Snow White and Sleeping Beauty fold their pajamas every morning and put them away, and slide open their curtains, and make their bed. They do it because she told them that's what you do every morning. Never mind that I've told them the same thing two thousand times. If she said to do it, they'll do it. Amazing.
Now, our evenings would be a lot quieter if only I could have her come throw her power around a bit more and convince them that "shower" is not a dirty word and is not an unreasonable request to make on a nightly basis. It's amazing what one can accomplish when not related to the child's parents. I bet she could even get them to brush their teeth without complaining. Maybe. It takes a lot of effort, you know, to brush those pearly whites.
August 14, 2009
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I've noticed that I can get my nieces and nephews to do some things that their parents cannot. If I were around all the time I would become background noise and would not be listened to.
ReplyDeleteKind of like when Ned's first grade teacher told the class that boogers has dirt and germs in them and they should not eat them. Yeah, I wish I had thought of telling him that earlier. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you have a clean house. I hope they keep it up.
I hope your new headache remedy will work for you. You deserve painless days.--As for raising a teenager, if I had sound, success-proof advice, I'd be retired now and living in the lap of luxury.--Snow White & Sleeping Beauty got to see my soldier son today. :)
ReplyDeleteYou know, this is true with husbands too. You can tell them something a thousand times, but only when they hear it from an expert is it reliable information. Luckily, it's not about showers at our house.
ReplyDeleteOh how I've missed my sarcastic and witty friend! The girls do have adorable haircuts and new glasses and I'm excited to hear about this new headache treatment "stuff" (only excited because I hope it helps...not because you have to sell Cinderella to pay for it:) I will call you next week...after I get over my jetlag. Love you!!!
ReplyDeleteWow! That is impressive. I think the novelty would have worn off with my kids the next day.
ReplyDeleteWhere was this friend 30 years ago when I raised my boys? What a great friend!
ReplyDeleteBoy, you can't beat a friend like that.
ReplyDeleteWhen my kids were young we had the "House Fairy" come. A neighbor who traded "bedroom checks" with me. We'd leave notes, etc. for the kids to find. One day I opened the door and there she was, in a tutu, with a crown on her head and she had a magic wand. The kids never saw her but I will remember her craziness all the days of my life. And yes, the kids were always afraid the house fairy would come so they kept things "fairly" tidy.
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