Have you become more organized or scattered since having kids?
By kieungoc
@kieungoc (232)
United States
April 27, 2008 8:51pm CST
I try, I really do, but sometimes it seems to be a battle that cannot be won. First of all, we live in a very small space. I have 2 boys, one is a baby and one is 3. My 3 year old love to bring toys out and just dump them in the middle of the living room floor and then walks away. I do enforce a rule that if he brings another bin of toys out, he has to put one away. He tries to follow the rules, but when he doesn't, our house looks like a tornado came through. I know, parents have to pick their battles. Usually, things get picked up throughout the day and every night, he cleans all of his toys up. I just never thought toys would consume our lives! Well, it's not just Cosmo's toys, but my baby boy's bouncy chair and his play mat are huge! Just to remind you, I live in a very small space. They are the love of my life though and letting the house go is just a minor sacrafice.
2 people like this
8 responses
@sophiasmom911 (1345)
• United States
29 Apr 08
yes all togehter since I had my daughter seven months ago I became more organized, espically about paperwork,because I have a lot of appointments and what not to keep up with. Right now my daughter is 7 months and at crawling stage. Their are toys everwhere! but if shes napping I put thme away,also at night too. I just dont leave them laying out. Lord knows I'd break my neck lol!
@only1shi (404)
• United States
28 Apr 08
i would like to pretend that i'm just as organized as i was before the baby, but i do have my piles of things to do. usually: bills to pay, papers to file, coupons to clip, clothes to scrub out, shopping lists. there may be a couple more things in there, but they slip my mind at the moment. i try to pick up toys and clothes that have become scattered throughout the day just so that i don't wake up to pandemonium. but i try not to let the little things get in the way of enjoying my baby. i have my whole life to clean, but i'll never be able to get those precious moments back.
@Sillychick (3275)
• United States
28 Apr 08
As you said, you have to pick your battles. If it is important to you to have the house tidy, enforce the one-bin-at-a-time rule. Personally, I don't mind toys cluttering the house. I also have a small home, so it can look cluttered with only a small amount of toys out. But I have seen people who don't let their children make even the slightest mess, and that is just not appropriate for young children. I do think it is important to teach children to pick up after themselves at a very early age. But let them make messes. It's part of being a kid. As long as it does not turn into a safety issue, and most days he picks up his toys, let him have fun. In just a few short years he will be starting to grow up and you may miss the messes.
@edgyk8inmomma (2157)
• United States
28 Apr 08
I have to say, I am much more scatered since having kids. When I was growing up, everything had a place and there was a place for everything. This wasn't the norm in my house, but the way I was.
With each addition to my family, I have become more relaxed on this. SOmetimes it is more important for me to get down and be with my kids than to clean up. My house isn't dirty, but it is a chaotic mess at times.
@lhw7661 (51)
• United States
28 Apr 08
I have a cross-stitch picture in my house that says, "I hope my children look back on today and see a parent who has time to play. There will be years for cleaning and cooking, for children grow up when we're not looking." I remember the frustration of constant picking up after my children, asking them to pick up and it not getting done. I like your rule about putting one thing away before another comes out. Perhaps if you enforce it even more consistantly? Are the toys organized so it is easy for the 3 year old to comply? Also, picking your battles is an EXCELLENT idea. Be glad your child CAN play, there are lots of children with handicaps who can't scatter toys and/or pick them up!! You could also make a game of seeing who can pick up the most toys or the fastest.
@Shawchert (1094)
• United States
28 Apr 08
I know how you feel in a way. I have a 4 month old who can't take anything out, but I take it all out for him lol. And it's just hard to get them back to where they belong afterwards. I have a small small room where most of his stuff goes, so it's really hard to get organized
so in a way I have become both
@WANDALIE44 (888)
• United States
28 Apr 08
i think ive had a few years to get this down to a science i think ive become more orginized due to the fact that i have to know were everything is at for example medicition band aids toys books remotes... i like to have things in place so when i go look for them or the kids are going bonkers lol i can find them easy and tame them down lol.
