the mess

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Guess what he made?

Guess what he made?

Mess..is obviously inevitable with kids. And it has gotten to a point where both Donald and I have closed two eyes for A LOT of things, including cleaning the floor.

But we needed to instill some form of order, or discipline. The boys needed to be responsible for clearing up what they have emptied. I cannot be picking up after them all day long!

And to be honest, I was sick of nagging at them to pick up the toys. And I nag A LOT. Till I got sick of it. I told Donald that I felt bad nagging at them all the time, but the mess was annoying me and I didn’t want to be the one to pick up the toys all the time. They would keep it, if I kept with them. But no fair leh. (haha, since when it was ever fair right?)

excuse the full diaper frontal.

excuse the full diaper frontal.

I made a sign. A sign that said “ONE TOY AT A TIME.” Donald laughed at me. He said yeah right. Hey, Ollie reads. And he reads DAMN WELL. So he better read the sign. I had to explain to him why we don’t pour everything out. He comes up with the lamest excuse like

but I’m soooooooo tired, mummy.’ Hah! Wrong person to pick a fight with, young man. You want to compare who is more tired?? Pffffpt. But yes, I explained why it would be easier to keep the toys if we took out one set at a time. And he tried. He is starting to understand it, and he tries.

Last week, we left the house in a hurry, to my mom’s place. My sister was back for the weekend and we were heading over to my mom’s for dinner (tabao okay, my mom doesn’t cook). The living room floor was in a ridiculous mess. But I left it. Couldn’t be bothered. I would deal with it when I came home later. Yeah right. 

Came home, stared at the mess, and walked away. I really didn’t want to deal with it. Budden hor, got some people came to my place to collect stuff, and made a comment about the mess AGAIN, so I thought, okay, I’ll clear up some of it. Le sigh.

In the mess of train tracks and Duplo, I saw a little city. As I picked up the toys, I saw the airport control tower Ollie had built.

Mummy, come and see this! Can you see what I made?

I saw the Terminal 3 with an underpass, leading to the carpark.

Ollie, you made the control tower, what about the airports? How about Terminal 3? 

I saw aeroplanes in various colours, as I had told him to make.

Ollie, use blue & green for Singapore Airlines, green for Cathay Pacific & red for Qantas. 

I remembered him asking me why there were humps on the tracks. I remembered QT bringing me tracks to help him fix it. I remembered seeing him sit on the floor and hammering the tracks into their slots.

I almost felt bad as I put the toys away. They were the kids’ creations, and they were always very proud of it. QT has recently managed to complete a 24-piece puzzle and he always came to me and said,

Mummy, come here! Hand *reaches out for my hand*! See, didi do! Good job!

He would look so chuffed when we said wow, or exclaimed our surprise.

Maybe I should start looking at this mess differently. Spend some time with them, admiring their little creations before putting them away. They might feel a little better. but hor, still need to clear up!

Cos lao niang gotta mop floor leh….mess or not. haha #cinderellalife

Category: Daily

15 comments on “the mess

  1. I am starting to appreciate mess made by toys when the children are younger.. now I am dealing with a bigger mess with books, clothing, stationery etc with my older kids.. sniff

    • oh books. I am really ocd with books. If i bought a complete series, it HAS to be kept according to series! Trying to train Ollie to do that now, but he doesn’t understand it!! argh..so hard to not go crazy over it.

  2. I have the same mess problem too. Toys all over the floor. U can take a photo of the creations and praise him before you keep them away.

    • taking a photo is an awesome idea. need him to learn how to appreciate his toys more!

  3. My hub cannot tolerate mess too. But sometimes we just let the girls be and contain all play mess in their room. Once we built a whole city with various Lego sets, toy houses, planes etc. the whole floor was covered with toys and I let it be for 2 days. That was the longest period when we allowed toys to hang around instead of being kept back into their boxes.

    • 2 days! okay lar, lego sets leh. I just got a the huge ass lego city for Ollie. he has been dying to open it. I’m resisting cos I cannot deal with missing pieces!

  4. My girls were similar to your boys when they were younger, I feel you hugs.. Now my study room is in a mess with stationery for more than a year.. The mess gets bigger n bigger and I think I may need years to declutter.. Wish me luck then.

    • ooo stationery different story liao. I was a hoarder when it comes to stationery. so many nice pens and paper to write on

  5. Oh yes, I feel differently when Joy explains the “mess”. I haven’t implemented the one box of toy at a time rule at home but I should! You reminded me, thanks!

    • girls do manage their toys better, no? your place never seems to be in a mess!

  6. Totally understand your frustration when it comes to the mess. Sometimes I will play a game to see who finish packing the toys back into the box and reward bubba with an ice cream or something.

    • We do that! But the kid in me will whine…’not i play, why I also must keep??’ hahaha

  7. Remind me of the mess my boy always make but I learn to love it. =)

  8. I can totally relate. Good habit to I still in the boys!! Well done mommy!!

  9. Your way of describing your household situation is so candid and hilarious 😛
    Lao niang got maid so I’m not bothered by mess, but I ish damn tired of nagging them to put their toys/ soiled clothes away.
    And bedtime in my house is mayhem… sometimes will result in me screaming at the top of my lungs for them to lie down/ keep quiet/ close eyes/ stop going toilet/ stop asking for water .