Home Economics 101

We didn't do any school yesterday. Instead I opted to clean house. Why? Because my sanity wouldn't hold if something didn't change around here! I normally try to clean one room a day. As in truly clean with soaps, mop, vacuum, broom, etc. Picking up is a daily chore, but last week was an exception between the doctor appointments, getting soccer practices figured out and trying to be hard core about school during the week then work, games, and the parade this weekend I ran out of time and energy. The girls had pulled out a ton of toys, games and trash that needed to be picked up. Not to mention living in the country the floors get dirty enough without all the junk on top of it.

Yesterday was home economics 101, we need to have a clean house so that we can function. If the floors are free of stuff then we do not trip and fall on things. If the toys and books are in their homes then we can find them when we want them. And biggest thing of all that I had not discussed with the girls yet: When Capuchin is born the floors will have to stay clean so that she does not choke. This seemed to enlighten the girls a little bit. Something clicked. Let's hope if I continue to remind them we are practicing keeping a clean house for Capuchin that they will eagerly participate like they did yesterday.

Score for me, I have a clean house.... well relatively. Never made it to my room and the toy room is still a mess, but hopefully I can tackle that later this week after the rest of the house goes downhill. It only takes an hour for any cleaning to be unnoticeable.

Now for my tangent, one thing that bothers me is when people who don't homeschool downplay the work of those who do. " I have kids, clean, cook, just like they do, AND *said in that snarky voice* I have a full time job. So why do stay at home moms complain or not have time for their friends?" This is something I think about because I know I neglect a few of my friends. I rarely answer my phone when they call. I only talk to them once every couple of weeks. I often wonder if they have the same thought about me, but are polite enough to not voice it!

Here is the best explanation I can come up with - Most people who work full time are never home. They get up, eat breakfast or buy it on the run, get everyone deposited in school or daycare and spend their day at work, they get home by 6 and their kids only have access to the house for 2-3 hours before they go to bed. If that, most parents I know have gymnastics, karate, soccer, football, dance, etc, one, two or even three nights a week. So for the week the kids are only awake and home for lets say 18 hours a week, assuming a 9pm bed time, extra curriculars two nights a week and being awake an hour before leaving the house. My kids have access to my house from 6am to 9pm everyday, 15 hours a day, even if you remove a full 15 hours for sports, naps, grocery runs, out of the house activities, my children have access to the house 60 hours a week. That means my kids have the opportunity to make more than 3 times the mess.

Their kids have teachers and janitors cleaning up after them at school and daycare everyday. At home, it's me. Their kids have a lunch lady cooking and cleaning everyday. At home, it's me. They have a janitor at work. At home, it's me. They have dishes for two meals a day, I have dishes for three meals plus snacks everyday. When they get home from work, most of them, don't have to deal with work till the next day. At home, I don't. I am the teacher, janitor, lunch lady, etc all day, everyday. I don't get mandatory breaks. There's no drive home from work when I get to call people to catch up. When people spend most of their time at home it gets messy. I'm not saying we do more work than those who work outside the home. I'm not complaining about the work. I signed up for it. It's that hearing others belittle it upsets me. We all listen to people complain about their jobs, their boss, the workload, the customers. It's no different for me. Sometimes I get tired of my job too. I have just as much right to complain as you do sometimes. /rant

Anyway, to my friends I hardly get to talk to anymore who keep wondering what happened to me, there's your explanation.

As for yesterday,

this happened (yeah, it was all over the floor, cabinet door and the chair as well).

 

I had two clogged toilets. Did a grocery run. Chased down a cat with a mouse in it's mouth. I cooked three meals including a complicated dinner Chris has been asking for all year. I took my middle girl to soccer. On top of cleaning almost my entire house. Today's agenda: back to school work.