I just have to say that I love my basement. My kids are free to get out every game we own and spread every piece all over the floor without me feeling like I am going to lose my mind. Anyone that knows me well, knows that clutter and chaos cause my mental well-being to deteriorate rapidly. (But only when it's at my own house.) When confronted with it, I have to bite my tongue to keep from screaming (sometimes I don't succeed.) My kids have always been required to help me pick up the house every night before going to bed because I CANNOT start a new day surrounded by clutter. You won't find dirty dishes in my sink in the mornings. My day will just not go right if I have to start it off with dishes from the night before. My friends laugh at me because they know that I have to be intimately involved when my kids clean up their toys. We have to make sure every piece is located and put back where it goes. I know how many Star Wars action figures and ships Jet owns--we started getting them for him when he was two, and now he has the astounding number of 59 little action figures and 36 little ships! And I know that right now, two of the action figures are missing and two of the little blue lightsabers are also missing. See what I mean? I need serious help!! Somehow I have survived the last 14+ years of parenting without a basement and without being carted off in a straight jacket. My children are fully aware of my issues. They may not like how often we have to clean up around here, but they do like that they aren't missing pieces to their games when they get them out to play. So how does the basement help? For the first time in my life, I have a place that my kids can make a big mess and often I don't make them clean it all up for several days! We are all happier this way. I just stay upstairs and block the basement family room and play room out of my mind. They are free from cleaning up every night (except for having to take things that have wandered upstairs back down.) I can sleep at night with a huge mess in the basement. And my kids are free to be kids--they have a space to play that isn't right in the middle of my living space.
I just have to say that I love my basement. My kids are free to get out every game we own and spread every piece all over the floor without me feeling like I am going to lose my mind. Anyone that knows me well, knows that clutter and chaos cause my mental well-being to deteriorate rapidly. (But only when it's at my own house.) When confronted with it, I have to bite my tongue to keep from screaming (sometimes I don't succeed.) My kids have always been required to help me pick up the house every night before going to bed because I CANNOT start a new day surrounded by clutter. You won't find dirty dishes in my sink in the mornings. My day will just not go right if I have to start it off with dishes from the night before. My friends laugh at me because they know that I have to be intimately involved when my kids clean up their toys. We have to make sure every piece is located and put back where it goes. I know how many Star Wars action figures and ships Jet owns--we started getting them for him when he was two, and now he has the astounding number of 59 little action figures and 36 little ships! And I know that right now, two of the action figures are missing and two of the little blue lightsabers are also missing. See what I mean? I need serious help!! Somehow I have survived the last 14+ years of parenting without a basement and without being carted off in a straight jacket. My children are fully aware of my issues. They may not like how often we have to clean up around here, but they do like that they aren't missing pieces to their games when they get them out to play. So how does the basement help? For the first time in my life, I have a place that my kids can make a big mess and often I don't make them clean it all up for several days! We are all happier this way. I just stay upstairs and block the basement family room and play room out of my mind. They are free from cleaning up every night (except for having to take things that have wandered upstairs back down.) I can sleep at night with a huge mess in the basement. And my kids are free to be kids--they have a space to play that isn't right in the middle of my living space.
3 comments:
It must be in the genes, since I am your DNA identical, and I have the same issues! I used to count the lego pieces, for goodness sake! (I gave up on that a LONG time ago, though. We probably have thousands of lego pieces and they are all mixed up and I don't even care anymore!) I always thought the need to put away all the games (making sure all pieces are in place) was a result of being at the end of a large family and knowing from experience that trying to play a game with half the pieces missing (or even one or two critical pieces missing)is an extremely frustrating and / or lame experience! I am happy for you that you have a basement now where the kids can make a mess. That has always been a dream of mine, but I probably never will have a place like that. But hey, the kids are going to start moving out in only 4 or 5 more years (sad!) so if I can hold it together until then, I just might not lose my mind.
Yes, basements are a blessing! It keeps my kids' rooms relatively clean. I think we lower our standards as mothers to maintain sanity. Then I have moments of I can't take this anymore--not as often as I used to!!!! Kids are great at getting us to figure out what are really the most important things to worry about!
Your basement is awesome! I just avoid mine as much as possible. I think Juan goes for months at a time without so much as looking down there.
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