i've said my peace, and counted to 10

Clyde and I have had an ongoing battle with our children over the cleanliness of their bedrooms. I have mentioned this several times in the past. Their rooms have become such a hot, touchy subject that it is causing me stress and anxiety.  About 2 weeks ago, I broke down and cleaned the boys' room. I began the cleaning process when they were at school and then had them help in the continuing of cleaning upon our arrival home from school. It took close to 5 hours to actually clean their bedroom. In my opinion 5 hours is too long. I realized that they need better organization and less stuff. We got a dresser from a friend of ours and this has helped tremendously in the efforts to stay organized. I put a shelf on their wall to display their star wars babies and ships. I also put away all their other toys. (They just don't play with them often enough to have them in their room.) In the past two weeks, their room is maintainable. If anything is on the floor and after a screaming mom (me) yelling to put their things away, the clean room is back to it's pristine self within 5 minutes. Nice.

Then there was the girls' room.  Clyde and I have been after them since school let out for the summer, 2010, to actually clean their room. In December, when they had their physicals and were out of school for the day, I 'assisted' them in the cleaning and it was mama clean. They are after all 14 and 12. They are old enough to pick-up after themselves. We have taken away any and all extra activities...like YW's basketball, field trips, clothes, Christmas gifts, etc...and it wasn't enough to get them to clean their room. I had a total breakdown this week when I realized that their room wasn't ever going to be clean, unless I did something about it. Our 3 girls are in one room and the room isn't big. Like the boys, they needed better organization and less crapity crap in their room to make it work. Their room being the pig sty they loved to root in, was actually putting a damper in my relationship with them. Every time I saw them goofing off, or any free time they had, I would immediately jump on them to clean their room. Their room was also causing more arguments between E and L then I care to mention. 

So, Thursday, I said my peace and counted to 10. I bucked up and cleaned their room. I started at 9am and wasn't finished until 5pm. Eight full hours cleaning. I was angry the.entire.time. I threw away so much trash. I moved bunk beds and vacuumed. I assembled a new bed, which will be another post, organized their closets and drawers. I bagged up summer clothes and unwanted clothing. I moved dressers and vacuumed. I boxed up P's unplayed with toys. Did I mention that I was angry all day long?! Anger was a big motivator for me.

When their room was finished, I felt accomplished, proud of my work and like a total loser for cleaning up after them. Then I got angry again and then the girls came home from school. I was a very uncool mom. I had just spent 8 hours in their room and my work wasn't done. I had the trickling from their room in the hall way to clean up and about 5 loads of laundry to wash. E liked the room, where as L gave me cheek. Within an hour of them being home, L had pulled out clothes and put them on the floor. I  Fa-reaked out. She put them away with haste. 

Today, Clyde took the girls to the blue superstore to purchase additional storage solutions for their room. I am hoping that with the blockade of their filthy room out of the way, our relationship can progress positively. 

(And for the record they still can't participate in extras until they can prove that they can keep their room clean.)