What's Behind Their Door

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Today I'm donning my bio-hazard suit and tackling the kids' rooms and closets.  Perhaps you can relate to this scene, where you've asked your children to put away toys, clothes, books, pet dinosaur or what have you, only to find them under their beds, furniture, rug, crammed somewhere or still on the floor.  Then somehow they're shocked when I tell them to clean it, because after all...they already did. 

As parents, we all know that effectively cleaning your child's room requires a trash bag, which horrifies them.  Because they to keep everything.  Chewing gum from Kindergarten, every art project, and every paper they came home with since preschool.    There's nothing wrong with memories, but the sheer amount is staggering and it's usually covering up the snack bowl from last month.  You've been wondering where that bowl went, along with the ear thermometer, Q-Tips, a few cups or soda cans which you've knocked over at least one over with your foot.  Because no matter how many times you've explicitly told them not to have food and drink in their rooms, they don't remember or 'forgot'.  And so, now you're thinking about pest fumigation.  Despite their protests, their rooms are not a petrie dish or a massive ant farm experiement no matter how many times they attempt to convince you that they're budding scientists.

To ease your eardrums, perhaps you're waiting until they're not home and therefore cannot interfere with your efforts.  The horror on their faces as they enter their new sparkling abode is worth capturing.  Keep the cameras rolling while they yank open each drawer in shock, followed by heavy sighs.  Perhaps you've heard them yell "It's MY room and YOU had NO RIGHT in here!"  You know, as if they're not living in your house that you pay for, or the impending rodent and insect infestation wouldn't affect you.  My kids have actually attempted to save their crap from the trash.  I just laugh, and remember that one day, it will be THEIR home and THEIR kids.  Somehow that makes it all better.