Toy-less house, part 2

If I wasn't too embarrassed someone would have seen me, I would have been interested to take my blood pressure at Shaws today. Because I am pretty sure it was through the roof.

My boys lack of cleaning has been mentioned a time or two in this blog, and those in real life probably know it's my #1 issue with the kids. In 2005, while pregnant with Jack Seamus and trying to sell our house (the 2nd of 3 times - 3rd time was the charm!), I got completely fed up with the boys' lack of cleaning I just put all the toys away. It made the house a lot easier to keep up with and I hoped I taught the boys a lesson. But they didn't care. Nope. Never really asked for their toys. They made up games and could still play ouside. I finally got sick of the emptiness and they needed something to do while I tended to the baby, so they came back in the fall.

I can't even recap today because it was so ugly and I might get furious again, but all the toys are again packed away - including the beloved Wii. Books have been left out to encourage reading. The arts & crafts stuff & board games haven't moved from their closet but I'll see if I let that out, if asked. I am also leaving the outdoors stuff, with the reasoning being they need to be out getting exercise and they need something to clean up still to gain responsibility and start to earn back some inside toys.

Deep breaths. (And extra apologies to Karolyn if she reads this for my total rudeness in not even calling to say we weren't coming to the pool party. I was seriously unfit for human interaction beyond IM.)