Thursday, November 8, 2012

A Lot Better.


Steve was in the kitchen helping Squish. I was on a run. The pirates were downstairs playing... and Parker hatched a brilliant plan. I didn't find out about it until yesterday morning when I went down to the basement. There were leaves everywhere. 
I asked Robs about the leaves whilst she ate a bowl of Chex. "It was Parker's idea!" she said, "he wanted to put on a Fall performance." 
I asked Erikboy about the leaves whilst he ate a bowl of Raisin Bran. 
"Parker brought in a huge pile, but I dumped mine outside." The evidence backed his story, as there was a peculiar pile of leaves only feet from our front door.

Part of me was upset, and the other part of me thought it was hilarious. Of course they needed leaves for a Fall show! When you're a pirate words like BRAND, NEW, and CARPET don't find themselves in the same sentence. I explained part of this to the pirates... a mini part. And then I let them know I was not pleased- I asked, and they both admitted they'd known it wasn't the very best idea. I helped them understand they'd be cleaning the room until it sparkled. They let me know they were not pleased... but things like this also come with being a pirate.

Cleaning it up was quite the job. I went through the whole spectrum of asking nicely to offering incentives, to giving warnings and finally to taking away toys. The taking away toys worked the best... but not at all like I planned. Erikboy volunteered to put them in the bucket. "Mom!" he said, "This is great! I don't need these toys! You know I like playing in the dirt a lot, lot better!"

And then I had to laugh. Seriously? This whole mothering thing is crazy.
(I put away every single toy, minus the wood blocks, Erikboy's dirt bike and Squish's favorite baby.)

There have been zero complaints... as the pirates spent their afternoon playing in the leaves. Outside.

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