Clean Bedrooms, Happy Boys-- and Momma, too

Quite by accident, today's change of pace made everybody happy.

You see, they told me they would clean their rooms before going Trick or Treating yesterday, but then they went upstairs and played legos or read books all afternoon.

This morning when I walked by their doors, John Robert's dresser was piled high with clothes that had never been put away.  Books and electronics were strewn around the floor.  His sheets smelled . . . funky.

Spencer and Denver's floor was so filled with nerf guns, dirty clothes, and assorted bits of lego pieces that I'd stopped walking into the room and had begun tossing things in from the door.  As of today, I had reached my limit.

I know that having a clean bedroom is my priority, not the boys. They don't complain about messes.  But sometimes a Momma gets tired of things not going her way.

What I did made no real sense: I gathered all the electronics in the house and piled them in a corner with a sign: You may use these items when I've finished cleaning your rooms.  Then I slowly went about the task of reorganizing the boys' closets, gathering summer clothes for storage, dusting, vacuuming, and washing sheets.  It took me ALL day . . . but I didn't hurry.  It turned out to be enjoyable-- going slow, and getting things done.

I thought there would be great crying and gnashing of teeth from the boys.  I thought they might pitch in and try to speed things along.  It didn't happen the way I expected.

John Robert silently went to his room, cleaned it thoroughly-- including vacuuming and sheet washing, and then went outside with his brothers to play with nerf guns.  He never mentioned my punishment or attempted to regain access to the computer or his cell phone.

To my surprise, Denver and Spencer immediately began a project involving duct tape, cardboard, and aluminum foil in the kitchen. Then all three of the boys went outside for a rousing nerf gun battle.  Afterward, they were hungry and cold.  I helped them make hot chocolate and then made pulled pork sandwiches.  The boys were delighted.

While I dawdled through the afternoon, working at a snail's pace, the boys began a game of Dinopoly (Monopoly with a dinosaur theme).  They never complained about the "punishment" I'd created.

At long last, when floors were not only visible, but vacuumed, Spencer came upstairs and hauled down three bags of clothes for Goodwill.  Both Denver and Spencer were pleased with their tidy closets and long lost winter pajamas I had rediscovered.

John Robert was so caught up in a science book, he didn't even notice that the great Screen Time Ban had lifted.  In fact, no one even paid attention to the electronics in the corner; at least not until after they'd devoured their taco dinner, and it was too dark to play outside.