Mass Destruction

Are my children destructive or just careless? Is it their ages or am I not teaching them to be responsible with their things? These were the thought ping-ponging through my head all weekend. I discovered, as we were making their beds after cleaning up their room, that the wee ones had drawn on the wall and ceiling beside and above Chica Marie’s bed. I made her scrub it off, since there was writing and I know Love Bug does not spontaneously write letters. This was after we dumped all their toys and arranged them, something we do every six weeks or so because the kiddos do not keep their toys arranged and in order. We found a lot of broken toys or toys missing pieces and some chewed on by the dogs. I was rather ruthless in tossing out the broken, chewed on toys, mostly hoping to clear the clutter. As the trash bag quickly filled up, I thought of all the money spent on these things that the children just didn’t seem to appreciate. But, it isn’t just their toys. The window shades in their bedroom and the living room are in tatters. Yes, they were cheap and plastic, but that isn’t a reason to break them apart and leave them looking like we live in a war zone. I discovered Chica Marie let a dog chew up one of her sandals that she has barely worn simply because she carelessly left it lying on the floor (yes, the dogs chewing on things is also a problem but one I am also hopeless as solving). I feel like our house is in perpetual disarray and I simply cannot keep up with the damage and decay. Part of the problem is my inability to diy and part of the problem is that I seem to be the only one in the house trying to put things in order against 3 kids, 3 dogs, and 3 cats who do not share my penchant for cleanliness. I feel like I spend the better part of my weekend cleaning up the things I didn’t have a chance to handle during the hectic week days. And I hate it. I don’t like cleaning, although I like things to be clean. I really don’t like cleaning when I seem to turn around and find the once clean spot sullied by uncaring kids and critters. But, cleanliness is one thing, the destruction of things is another, even more troubling issue for me. I feel like our house might collapse on our heads just because I cannot seem to mitigate the damage. Maybe, as the kids get older, it won’t feel like there is something broken, colored on, ripped, torn, or falling apart everywhere I turn.  Fingers crossed….   

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