Thursday, April 15, 2010

Damage Control

While I clean one room, the kids trash two others. This is what I do all day.

"Hey Mom! What is this?"

"Put it back!"

"But what is it?"

"It's packing material. Now PUT IT BACK!"

So, of course, when I checked a couple minutes later, it didn't surprise me one bit to see that Clay had notsomuch put it back, but had instead (with the help of his partner-in-crime, Brooklyn), put it here...



I have no idea what possessed them to fill the sink with styrofoam. I started to scoop it out when I realized that...




the sink was also filled with water.


"What were you thinking???" I asked the kids, knowing clear well that they weren't, in fact, thinking at all. I could hear Bill Cosby's wisdom echoing through my head, Kids have brain damage!


"We were washing them, Mom!"


Ugh. I wondered, I really, truly wondered, if anything I say ever gets through their heads. Today, that question was answered for me.


Clay and Brooklyn had some friends over to play. I heard both Clay and Brooklyn telling their friends things like, "You have to put that toy away if you're done playing with it," and "You have to stay in the kitchen with your snack". I honestly can't count how many times I heard my words come out of their mouths. On the one hand, I was proud, happy, nay, beaming that they remembered my instructions and even went so far as to impart their knowledge to their friends. On the other hand, I wondered how they could remember and tell their friends not to eat in the family room when I have to remind them EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THEIR LIVES NOT TO EAT IN THE FAMILY ROOM! How is this possible? Anyone know the answer to this burning question? Anyone? Anyone at all?

15 comments:

KingerMom said...

OMG TOO FUNNY!!
er i mean
POOR YOU!!


haha
It happens to the best of us.. Did you have fun cleaning it or make them do it. ( thats fun too)

:)

Anonymous said...

Simple!!!! mom, loves them and give them slack. But friends might not ever get to come back; it they did it. it's Good manners. Same reason you act like brat's for your parent's when eating. But, at your friend's house; you are very polite. And their parent's say you kid is so good. (Reminds me of Eddie Haskle.)

Quotes from the Sandbox said...

I just today uttered the phrase I NEVER dreamed would come out of my mouth...."Do you two even hear me when I talk?!" I swore I heard my mom somewhere laughing.....ah. And I'm in the 'early' stages of parenthood. Thank you for the chuckle.

NeverEnoughTime said...

nope, I have no answer, but if you find one, please let me in on it!!!

Emily Kallas said...

My 3-year-old son does the same thing when my nephew comes over to play. "No, no Tater (my nephew's name is Tateum)! We don't throw toys in the house!" or "You have to drink your juice in the kitchen, Tater!" or "Tater, you need to share!" It's great (albeit a tad bossy) that he is so great about "enforcing" the rules. And yet, my son has such a hard time remembering to do these things himself. As to why this is, I'm just as baffled as you. Half the time, I feel like Charlie Brown's teacher, and that all he hears coming out of my mouth is "Wah, wah, wah, wah." But, I suppose it's encouraging to know that some of what I say is penetrating that stubborn skull of his. :)

Chick Hatchers said...

Yes, you have just recapped most of my days, which is why I tracked down a Fruitful Yeild (with a parking lot, because the one near me doesn't and I didn't want 3 kids running out into the street) and bought Hyland's nerve tonic. So far, it works. I am very pleased. Feeling better than I did with PPD on meds! I may have to buy this stuff in bulk!

At least you didn't have to call a plumber from styrofoam in the pipes!. If you ever do, I know a very nice, very good Christian one who does all the suburbs.

mychildsview.blogspot.com

Yamato said...

My son has his ears for decoration only when it comes to doing things - but he remembers everything he shouldn't hear and tells everyone.

Jensamom23 said...

I have NO idea...please share the answer if you ever find it!

Anonymous said...

you already said it: BRAIN DAMAGE!

Marly said...

I'm pretty sure its a cool factor. When you say it, it isn't cool, but if they say it, it is :)

Natasha said...

I do [know the answer]! I uh... *shuffles feet* know from experience,]... uh hehe *looks down guiltily* See... they know the rules, they just CHOOSE not to obey them because they don't want to. But they tell their friends them because they're showing off and trying to show "dominance", you could say... lol

Dawn said...

Thank you, Natasha! It's nice to have kids read my blog.
There you have it - kids just choose not to listen because they don't want to. AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

petunia6348 said...

I think Natasha nailed it. The simple explanation for kids not listening is just because they're KIDS! If they acted like adults then they'd be adults and that's no fun! Hang in there. . you will survive and by the time your kids are nearing forty (like mine) you will look back on these years and laugh your a** off!

Amanda said...

I promise you at least once a day I ask someone in my house (including my husband), "Exactly what made you think THAT was a good idea???" I"m just sayin'. Since I have all boys I thought maybe it was just a boy thing. Brooklyn gives me hope that there might someday be a girl that can understand them. LOL

Amanda :)

Julie H said...

I'd be making my kids clean THAT ONE up themselves. Although I do pick up a lot of crap myself because it's easier than screaming my head off.

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