Thursday, July 17, 2008

Resignation and Defeat: Another Bibliophile At Work

So, I am a little obsessive about the orderliness of my house. Okay, a lot obsessive!
So, normally, when #4 decides to pull ALL the books off the bookshelf we will clean it up after a while. Alright I'll admit I will clean it up while he's in the process of pulling them off, all the while hoping to distract him.
I try to READ the books to him. After all that's what they are for aren't they? I'll sit him on my lap and attempt to read him a nice story and have a little bonding moment with him, especially if it is one of my favorites like "Pajama Time" or "Love You Forever." But, he won't have any of that nonsense! No he just wants to pull them down, put them to his mouth, taste them, hold them, maybe rip them a little bit.
But, yesterday, after cleaning up the books a couple of times, and (admittedly) having the older 3 do it for me as well, I gave up. That's right. I left a mess in my house go unchecked! For hours! Even over night! The above picture is actually from this morning when I woke up.
I've decided it just isn't worth it anymore. I can't have all the toys put away while the kids are playing with them. They are there to be played with and enjoyed after all! Even if he doesn't want to read the books he is getting familiar with what they are and enjoying them and getting comfortable with them.
The funny thing is when most of the books are already on the floor, he doesn't try to pull more down. I wonder if he does it sometimes just for the fun of making a mess. Imagine, my child intentionally making a mess! The little rebel.

2 comments:

jlbunting.com said...

Maybe this is why we made such good roommates. I always wonder how I'm going to handle children who don't put things away. And I hate to say this to you, but reading this post and seeing you say #4 it kind of hit me. You have FOUR KIDS! You cannot be my age. You are in a totally different stage in life than me. But I don't feel like a newlywed in my early 20s because I am not. Where do I fit in the picture??? I feel lost.

Unknown said...

Kellsie use to do the same things with our shelf full of VHS tapes (many years ago). I would pick them up right away too, but then one day I didn't. I must have left them there for a couple days. I was so tired of picking them up multiple times a day. More power to ya girl!