I must be speaking a different language.

Published on June 5, 2005 By dharmagrl In Home & Family

I think I must be speaking a different language than my kids, because they don't seem to understand me.

Because of my back issues, I have weakness in one leg and foot and I don't have normal sensation in some of my toes. This makes navigating around things left on the floor difficult and sometimes hazardous.

I trip over stuff regularly. I don't feel where my foot is, you see, and I think that I'm clearing the object when I'm not. Tripping over things makes my back hurt, and causes injury to my toes that I can't feel properly.

So, I ask my kids to try and keep their stuff up off the floor. I have a basket in the hallway for shoes and pegs right above for coats and bags. The kids all have toy boxes in their rooms, and there are laundry baskets for dirty clothes in each bedroom and each bathroom as well. I try to facilitate their keeping stuff picked up by giving them places to put things instead of leaving them strewn on the floor.

I've asked them 4 times today to pick up their shoes, and I've asked my daughter 3 times to pick up a pair of roller blades. Have they done it yet? Hell no. The shoes are where they kicked them off at, and the blades are still sitting next to the closet.

I haven't picked them up by myself yet because I've been trying to enforce my 'we all have to help out around the house' rule. I do a lot of stuff for them, but they are all old enough now to be picking up their own stuff and helping out with the dishes after dinner.

I'm going to give it one last shot when they come in this evening. If they don't do what I'm asking them to do this evening, I'm going to start taking things away. Shea's rollerbaldes are getting confiscated - hey, if she doesn't care enough about them to pick them up, then she won't miss them when I take them away. The boys shoes are going to go under MY bed - perhaps when they can't find them to go outside to play tomorrow they'll realize they should have picked them up.

They're heading for a crash-course in Mom-speak, and they're not going to like it.

Comments

Danny Bassette

on Jun 05, 2005

Good idea on the taking away of things, but if it was me I'd go slightly farther. Either throw it out, or if it has some value to it, find someone to buy it. In either case, it's gone for good, and hopefully your kids will learn the lesson and it won't happen again. Of course, in all fairness you would have to tell them of your intent before you acted on it. But putting things away is important, especially when leaving them out causes someone else (you) pain. You could even pass it off as a lesson in responsibility. If they arn't grown up enough to take care of their stuff, well then you should give that stuff to someone that will (and the garbage man knows how to take care of everything

). Then you don't need to worry about it, either they take care of ti when told, or you get rid of it. Either way, no more tripping over random things. Your back, leg, and toes will thank you

Trudygolightly

on Jun 05, 2005

I totally agree with Danny on this!! do give the kids a warning and tell them exactly what will happen. Only one time tell them the new rule. Then act on it.
I have exactly the same issues with my left foot as you, and I've fallen many times........
so, oh ya, one time I told my daughter that if she left her papers lying around the house, they would be
picked up, and thrown away. Guess what happened?? yup.
Her teacher called me to ask if my daughter was telling the truth, as she doubted that I would throw away
her homework, ect.
I had, and yes my daughter was telling the truth and by golly it worked. Sounds harsh perhaps, but her schoolwork
was only half of what she had lying around, there was alot of other stuff too.

Manopeace

on Jun 06, 2005

Give them one final warning...then tell them that anything left out where it dosn't belong will be taken away from them...including shoes! Start collecting the things that might be left lying around afterwards and put them in a box...keep the box where they won't find it. After a few days of walking to school barefoot, they just might start changing their ways.

foreverserenity

on Jun 06, 2005

Yea for mom-speak! I've had to do the same thing. After warning and warning and talking, I finally followed through, I started throwing stuff away, I mean out in the garbage. The kids got the message. The only thing is they keep forgetting to clean up and I just have to say it once now though, LOL! Good luck with yours!

dharmagrl

on Jun 06, 2005

Either throw it out, or if it has some value to it, find someone to buy it. In either case, it's gone for good, and hopefully your kids will learn the lesson and it won't happen again.

I did...but it rained today so they didn't go out, therefore they didn't need their shoes.

I have exactly the same issues with my left foot as you, and I've fallen many times........

You have no idea how happy that makes me. Not that you fall, but that you have the same issue. It really is a pain, isn't it?

Her teacher called me to ask if my daughter was telling the truth, as she doubted that I would throw away
her homework, ect.
I had, and yes my daughter was telling the truth and by golly it worked

I'm going to have to get tough and stay tough.

After a few days of walking to school barefoot, they just might start changing their ways.

Oh that I could do that. Summer's here so school is out, and if I DID do that, social services would be all over me before I could blink.

After warning and warning and talking, I finally followed through, I started throwing stuff away, I mean out in the garbage. The kids got the message

Mine will too. If this doesn't work, then things will get thrown away. It's really that simple.

Hyperborean Wanderer

on Jun 06, 2005

Just stick with it! Don't give in to the "Well, I'll let them get away with it this time" mentality. I have a friend who does that and it really messes with her kids minds when she does do it. They freak out because"we didn't think you would REALLY do it." If you say you are going to do it....do it!

Hyperborean Wanderer

on Jun 06, 2005

That last comment was really me...Life-happens. Guess I didn't sign HW out.

Texas Wahine

on Jun 06, 2005

You could always do what the governator does...burn the stuff they leave lying around! Yikes!

dharmagrl

on Jun 06, 2005

You could always do what the governator does...burn the stuff they leave lying around! Yikes!

Hehehe....a shoe bonfire would be kind of cool!

Don't give in to the "Well, I'll let them get away with it this time" mentality.

And that's the hard thing. It's sooo easy to not back up what I say...but what's easy is not always what's right, right?!

Trudygolightly

on Jun 09, 2005

You could always do what the governator does...burn the stuff they leave lying around! Yikes!

My mom would burn my paperdolls if they weren't in the box
they belonged in, the same went for dolls, doll clothes,
coloring books.....but get this, afterwards she felt guilty
and would take me to town to get me new ones!! That was not
a good lesson for me!

You have no idea how happy that makes me. Not that you fall, but that you have the same issue. It really is a pain, isn't it?

Yes! it's a pain, I know part of it is the pain from the spine, and part of it is my toes going numb, of course from the spine problems.

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!