Clean up , clean up, every body do your share.

What is it that makes us lash out at others when we are uncomfortable?

The main cause for me is my house being a mess. I am much better then I was when I first got married, but there are days that it makes me so angry. Obviously I am not picking up after myself like I should, but does that give everyone else an excuse to leave all of their stuff all over the house too? In my opinion, I have to clean up my stuff and take care of the daily maintenance of our home, so if I leave some of my stuff out sometimes who cares? I am the one that still has to clean it up! But if Jared or the kids leave their stuff out on the floor, who eventually has to clean it up? Me, that's who. But if I get mad at Jared about leaving his stuff wherever, what is his response? "It's not like I am the only one that is doing it." No, Jared, you are not the only one doing it, but I am the only one (for the most part) that is cleaning any of it up, so I think I have the right to get a little angry about it.

The other day I was, let's face it, yelling (screaming maybe?) at Grace and Abi about how I am sick of cleaning up all of their toys. I don't play with them so why should I be the one that has to clean them up? About five minutes later they left all their stuff all over the living room floor and ran off to their room to play with something else. I got mad again and said (yelled) "HELLO! I just told you that you need to clean up after yourselves. I don't like being ignored!"

A day or so later, Abi was playing nicely at the table with the Polly Pockets (her favorite toys). She decided to go upstairs and play with Grace, so I told her she needed to put the Polly Pockets away first. Here's how the rest of the conversation went.


Abi- "I want you to help me clean up. I know it's not your stuff that you played with, I just want you to help me clean them up."
Me- "Ok, you go start cleaning up and I will come help you." (Abi brings me three Polly Pockets to put in the bucket that was right next to her.)
Abi- "Here you put these ones away."
Me- "No, you go put them back in the bucket and then I will come help you clean up." (Abi runs back to the bucket and toys.)
Abi- "Actually, I just want to keep playing with them because of the flowers. I'm not ignoring you, I just want to play with the flowers."

It's nice to know that, sometimes, at least someone is listening to me.