| Author | |
Donna
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1151
|
| Posted: July 15 2005 at 10:00am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
My daughter, Clara, and I went for a walk last evening and met up with neighbor friends of ours whose 2 children go to school. Both parents work outside the home each day. When I go to their home I'm a bit envious of how neat and orderly everything is.....maybe it's because no one is ever home.
While we were walking, I was telling the mom how good I felt about having spent the day cleaning the boys room...top to bottom. I also mentioned feel hard it is at times to keep up with house work...etc.
Her young daughter replied, "Oh, Mrs. Howey....I love coming to your messy home...really, I like things all over the place." Her mother gasped !!! The daughter then replied to her mother, "What? I really do like going there.....you are always too worried about our house being neat and clean. There's alot more to do at the Howey's."
I'm not sure if I want to laugh or cry.
__________________
Donna
DH, Keven
Jason, Stevie, Marie, Jackson, Clara, and Aaron
Jacob, Sam, and Regina with God
Grandbabies Leigha and Elsie
Moments Like These
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
dhbrug
Forum Pro
Joined: Feb 17 2005
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 68
|
| Posted: July 15 2005 at 10:12am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Laugh.
Almost all homeschoolers have cluttered homes. After all, we are living in it all the time, whereas schoolies are away from home other than a rushed breakfast, dinner and sleep. And with little ones, "spotlessness" is a futile hope.
Just think of your place as a home not a hotel. It's a place to live - not just a place to eat and sleep. When Lana was younger she also used to dislike going to one friend's house because no-one was free to play - everything had a place and children didn't really fit.
Cheers
David
dw Lana, dd Ariel, ds Eric, ds James, ds Peter, dd Clare, dd Rose
http://bruggietales.blogspot.com
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Bridget
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2198
|
| Posted: July 15 2005 at 11:13am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Right now I'm trying to clean dry erase marker off the school room wall and supervise the picking up of all our Math U See manipulatives. They got dumped and we have a lot.
In our homeschooling, most of us try to do some hands on activites. We try to make our homes family friendly. Most of us do it on one income and with more children than the average 2.
Laura Berquist once said in a talk, that she thought when hers were all teens her house would stay neater. It doesn't. They are there all day and doing lots of activites.
If Laura Berquist, with only teens, cannot keep her house as orderly as she would like... it probably can't be done.
I would rather be living this life than sending my children out for someone else to raise and educate, wouldn't you agree?
__________________
God Bless,
Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
Our Magnum Opus
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Donna
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1151
|
| Posted: July 15 2005 at 12:57pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Bridget wrote:
I would rather be living this life than sending my children out for someone else to raise and educate, wouldn't you agree? |
|
|
Absolutely !!!
__________________
Donna
DH, Keven
Jason, Stevie, Marie, Jackson, Clara, and Aaron
Jacob, Sam, and Regina with God
Grandbabies Leigha and Elsie
Moments Like These
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Elizabeth
Founder
Real Learning
Joined: Jan 20 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5595
|
| Posted: July 15 2005 at 2:11pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Oh, laugh Donna, laugh heartily  ! And then reach back into your memory and think of moms whose homes you loved to visit. A little messy? I always liked to visit the families with the most kids. Very messy. Besides, it's almost always better to laugh than cry. And just think about that poor mom; she certainly has some things to mull over. Laugh and then pray for her. I need to go--my two youngest are making a game of peeling crayons and throwing them into a basket. If they miss the basket? They hit a wall...How are you removing dry erase Bridget?
__________________
Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Bridget
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2198
|
| Posted: July 15 2005 at 2:24pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Just scrubbing with powdered cleanser. We learned a long time ago to paint all our walls with durable semi-gloss instead of flat paint.
__________________
God Bless,
Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
Our Magnum Opus
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Victoria in AZ
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 16 2005
Location: Arizona
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 672
|
| Posted: July 15 2005 at 5:51pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Elizabeth wrote:
| How are you removing dry erase Bridget? |
|
|
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser works wonders
__________________
Your sister in Christ,
Victoria in AZ
dh Mike 24 yrs; ds Kyle 18; dd Katie 12; and one funny pug
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
ladybugs
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3732
|
| Posted: Aug 03 2005 at 11:27am | IP Logged
|
|
|
>Mr. Clean Magic Eraser works wonders..
ABSOLUTELY!
I've taken crayon and permanent marker off of a door....but my children would NEVER make that mess  ...
I'm really chatty today...
God Bless,
__________________
Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MacBeth
Forum All-Star
Probably at the beach...
Joined: Jan 27 2005
Location: New York
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2518
|
| Posted: Aug 03 2005 at 5:30pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Donna wrote:
I'm not sure if I want to laugh or cry.
|
|
|
Donna, I'm thinking about the mess Clara and Paul made at Shelley's camp one time...eek! Clearly, the only thing to do is laugh!!
__________________
God Bless!
MacBeth in NY
Don's wife since '88; "Mom" to the Fab 4
Nature Study
MacBeth's Blog 
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Donna
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1151
|
| Posted: Aug 03 2005 at 6:15pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
MacBeth wrote:
| Donna, I'm thinking about the mess Clara and Paul made at Shelley's camp one time...eek! Clearly, the only thing to do is laugh!! |
|
|
Oh, MacBeth....that was a trip to remember. I still have a tremendous fear of mice....or bats....whichever it was that tormented us. I was just looking at a picture a couple of days ago of you on the back of the four-wheeler with Trip driving.....your expression was priceless .
Can't wait to do it again some day  .
__________________
Donna
DH, Keven
Jason, Stevie, Marie, Jackson, Clara, and Aaron
Jacob, Sam, and Regina with God
Grandbabies Leigha and Elsie
Moments Like These
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Meredith
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 08 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2355
|
| Posted: Aug 04 2005 at 9:53am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Donna wrote:
I was just looking at a picture a couple of days ago of you on the back of the four-wheeler with Trip driving.....your expression was priceless .
Can't wait to do it again some day . |
|
|
Any chance you can upload that photo for those of us who have never seen MacBeth in the flesh, I'm thinking 4-wheeling, huh...you know we have alot of those in Idaho , oh and lots of mice  ... maybe I'll get you all out west yet Just musing...enjoying this funny thread.
Oh and in case anyone ever wondered if a black iron skillet hitting terra cotta tile will take a chunk out of it the size of a golf-ball, the answer is YES! and 
Cheers!
__________________
Meredith
Mom of 4 Sweeties
Sweetness and Light
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Tina P.
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1638
|
| Posted: Aug 18 2005 at 1:57am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Bridget wrote:
Laura Berquist once said in a talk, that she thought when hers were all teens her house would stay neater. It doesn't. They are there all day and doing lots of activites.
If Laura Berquist, with only teens, cannot keep her house as orderly as she would like... it probably can't be done. |
|
|
My husband is completely done in! He truly hates a messy house and now you're telling me that it doesn't get better as the kids get older! He's not going to be happy about this. Frankly, I don't know how it is that my kids can play in their {far too small with no storage hiding places) playroom with the disorganization there. How in the world do they find anything? The only problem with this room is that it is a walk-through room. We have two houses in a four-plex with a door cut in the upstairs and one cut in the downstairs. The upstairs door is cut between the den and the playroom (which sometimes spills over into the den).
We have so much STUFF. My husband says that if we just gave away 90% of the kids' toys and clothes, the mess would be kept at bay. I contend that the kids would take out the other 10% and leave it lay! We often do give things away (we take a grocery bag full at least once a week to charity), but in the meantime, they seem to mysteriously multiply.
I'm tempted sometimes to take my husband's suggestion and get rid of the distractions (ie: toys). But we've been so careful to build up a learning toys environment. We don't have junk and if it somehow enters our house, it leaves just as quickly. The same thing happens with clothes. And, I must admit,  I save the bigger kids' clothes when they grow out of them for the littler kids. This means that lots of Rubbermaid buckets are full of clothes in a house without a whole lot of storage (why don't Air Force Base houses have basements?).
One of the issues for *me* (and I know this is completely selfish) about having babies as God wills is that I can't have a say in when I've had enough. I'd like to be able to, after this baby grows out of things, give them away and not look back, but I'm worried I'll have another baby and nothing for it to wear ! That's not all, though...I'm 38 years old, I'll have had seven children (in another month) and one miscarriage. When does it all end? We've tried practicing NFP. But then we move or go on vacation and my cycle gets disturbed and ba-da-bing! Here comes baby. I love new babies, please don't misunderstand, except that they tend to add more *stuff* to an already overstuffed house. Not to mention I don't know whether all my kids feel loved in the same way that I (sixth of eight) didn't. In my house I felt like a maid. The clutter in our house doesn't help because my husband gets stressed and that stresses me and then I get tougher on the kids and am not there for them as a patient, loving mommy, like I should be.  I hope this all makes sense. I completely sympathize with all of you struggling with messy houses because I am there with you. 
God bless,
__________________
Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
Mary's Muse
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
teachingmyown
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 20 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5128
|
| Posted: Aug 20 2005 at 8:59am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Tina,
You sound like your a little overwhelmed. Not a bit surprising as you are so close to having baby #7. I have been known to panic when I am expecting, because I feel like I haven't gotten it together with x number of kids and God is sending me another one! I try to remember that He has the big picture and He must trust me for a reason. (OK, I am still working on that one! )
I never "nest" like other people do. I wish I did. I tend to lose energy at the end and no amount of motivation changes that. But I highly encourage you to declutter. There have been other threads on this forum that will help you with that. Reduce the outfits for each child to three. Figure out which toys are beloved and/or stimulating. Recycle the rest. Plan Christmas very carefully buying only classic toys(blocks, puzzles, Lincoln Logs), without small parts, and then buy books.
One other thing about the babies that just keep coming. I know that you love your babies and are open to life. And God will bless you abundantly. What you need to do is to get rid of the things that stress you about having a new baby or anticipating the next pregnancy. After this baby is born, go through all the outgrown clothes (do this for all of your kids) and be brutal. If you don't LOVE a piece of clothing, pass it on! Someone else can use in NOW and you will feel a freedom letting it go. Which baby equipment do you NEED? Our society tells us to put our babies down in every imaginable piece of equipment, swing, bouncy chair, high chair, excersaucer, etc. I have a high chair that reclines for an infant, keeps her out of harms way and close to me. I didn't really need a swing or a bouncy chair or a boppy, etc. Pick what you need to stay sane and junk the rest. You need space more.
The next step is to trust that God will provide. Someone is always giving me a bag of clothes. I have come to realize that my younger girls aren't even wearing most of the clothes that I saved for them. I had about 15 Rubbermaid bins in my attic at one point! I still have some things. Nice dresses, dress pants, dress shoes for the boys, coats, etc. But even these things I look at objectively. It is not hard to come across a coat at a thrift store that will serve the purpose.
I will pray for you Tina. I know NFP is a good thing for some families who need it. And I don't know your whole situation. But it can also cause a lot of stress. Pray and ask God to help you. Tell Him you are overwhelmed with this many children so close. Ask Him for help. I prayed after this last baby for some extra space before I got pregnant again. She turned two last week and I actually cried because even though I prayed for this extra spacing, I haven't had one turn two without another baby in my arms. (Except for my oldest.)
Try to enjoy the end of your pregnancy. Your kids Know you love them. You are giving all of yourself to homeschool them and give them a large family to grow up in. Try having a pillow fight (from your other post  ) and let them enjoy a mom who is so glad that they are her children.
__________________
In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
momwise
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 28 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1914
|
| Posted: Aug 20 2005 at 9:38am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Tina P. wrote:
| I'd like to be able to, after this baby grows out of things, give them away and not look back, but I'm worried I'll have another baby and nothing for it to wear |
|
|
Hi Tina,
Molly's right. The stress of keeping thing around is more than it's worth. I just had baby #7 at age 45 and it was a girl following 3 boys. I had given everyting away from maternity clothes to crib to clothes. I didn't have a stitch of clothing for her. Quite a few people gave me a bag or box of clothes and/or toys.
Then I had to pack up and move 3 weeks before her due date and I literally had to trust God that everything would be there and be ready(we had her at home so it *really* had to be ready!).
Now as Renee grows out of things, I'm giving it all away. I've taken 2 bags of clothes to a mom who just had a baby girl after 3 boys .
I also cut down my Rubbermaid storage to 3: 1sm. sizes, 1 med. and 1 lg. If nothing else fits in there we get rid of some stuff.
I'll add you to my prayer list for pregnant moms.
__________________
Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Elizabeth
Founder
Real Learning
Joined: Jan 20 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5595
|
| Posted: Aug 20 2005 at 6:13pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Tina P. wrote:
One of the issues for *me* (and I know this is completely selfish) about having babies as God wills is that I can't have a say in when I've had enough. I'd like to be able to, after this baby grows out of things, give them away and not look back, but I'm worried I'll have another baby and nothing for it to wear ! That's not all, though...I'm 38 years old, I'll have had seven children (in another month) and one miscarriage. When does it all end? We've tried practicing NFP. But then we move or go on vacation and my cycle gets disturbed and ba-da-bing! Here comes baby. I love new babies, please don't misunderstand, except that they tend to add more *stuff* to an already overstuffed house. |
|
|
Once upon a time, about three years ago, I was sorting fall clothes and thinking how nice it would be to not have to hang on to every size of both genders. After two years of trying to get pregnant again (I'm 39), I'm giving away everything that doesn't currently fit the youngest of each gender. And every time I bag or box a bunch, I cry. No longer does a stroller fall out of the back of the van when I open the van to load groceries, but I still instinctively put up my hand to stop it. And when it isn't there, I miss it like I never thought possible. Don't wish away those days. Don't even wish away the stuff. Really.
__________________
Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Tina P.
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1638
|
| Posted: Sept 02 2005 at 3:55am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Elizabeth, your post made me cry.
'Course, I have to admit that a feather could waft down from a pigeon flying over head and I'd probably cry at that too, at this point. I almost cried when I accidentally killed a skeeter-eater in the shower this morning. Well, *I* didn't know he was in there when I turned the shower on!
A friend of mine just had her seventh child, a girl. She now has 5 girls and 2 boys. Her oldest is a boy and her 6th is a boy. She let go of *most* of her boy things, keeping back only one or two boy buckets.
I'm two weeks behind this friend. My husband is retiring from the military and where we go and what he is going to do is still undecided. We are separating from the military in April. He thinks that once we separate, we shouldn't have more children, as if this marks the end of our child-bearing years. I think he would like to have a clean closing of that chapter. I can't help wondering what God's plans are for our lives.
I know that if it is God's plan, Gus will open his heart once again.
Tina
__________________
Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
Mary's Muse
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Should I laugh or cry ?
