Differences Between Us

Over the years I have noticed some distinct differences between the way I deal with things, compared to how Ryan or the kids will deal with stuff. Here are some examples:

Cleaning House:

Julie - I will often try to do most of it myself, giving the kids little assignments that I don't mind how they are done i.e. taking out trash/recycling, taking laundry down, sorting dirty laundry, putting their clothes away & unloading the dishwasher. Jobs like loading the dishwasher or starting a load of laundry, I prefer to do myself for optimal cleaning potential. I will sometimes let Andrew vacuum, but I usually prefer to have the kids pick up things in the rooms so I can vacuum.

Ryan - Ryan prefers not to do much cleaning, as it will "just be destroyed by tomorrow." He is very good at supervising the cleaning, sitting on the couch or at the computer while he gives the kids cleaning assignments. If I ask him to do something, he will often yell down to one of the kids to do it instead. In these cases, I will often just do it myself.

Kids - Each of the kids will react differently when asked to clean.

Andrew: If given a couple assignments with potential to call a friend when completed, will be very willing to help. On the other hand, if I just ask him to clean his room, I always get the "I didn't make the mess, it's all Austyn!!" Occasionally, he will sit in there and direct Austyn in his cleaning. This can become very loud at times.

Ashley: Ashley wants a job chart, something she can refer to daily for her assignments so she can complete them in a timely manner and then do other things. When we are just cleaning, she will start in a non-priority area (like the pile of junk on her bed) when I would rather she help clean up the living room or kitchen. She is very often distracted and will sometimes have to be asked to do something a few times before she actually gets it done. Fortunately, she doesn't complain too much unless she hasn't had enough sleep. On a "tired" day, she is overwhelmed by EVERYTHING and will quickly give up on a project because somebody looked at her weird and just go to her room to cry about it. Those days are tough. :-(

Alexia: Alexia wants to play with friends all the time, so when it comes to cleaning she is not excited. Usually as soon as it is mentioned that we need to clean the house, she drops to the floor and starts to whine about how she Hates cleaning and how we have to clean every day . . . . Similar to Andrew, however, with the potential to play with friends, she will be more cooperative and can be quite helpful.

Austyn: Austyn is also a fit thrower when it is suggested that we need to clean up. He doesn't throw himself on the floor, but a lot of words are exchanged. If given a couple specific assignments, he will work to complete these. However, most days, if I attempt to give him another assignment after those are finished, he becomes extremely upset, arguing that I only told him he had to do those 2 things and he wants to go play. To save my sanity, I often give in and send him away to a friend's house, just to quiet things down around here.

Adalyn: Not yet much of a cleaner, but if we sing "clean up," then she will help picking up blocks or legos.

Ryan's Days off:

Julie - Usually I am glad for these days as he helps to keep the kids in line and will sometimes take them to do something fun. On the other hand, when he is just too tired to do anything, I get a little frustrated trying to keep kids quiet/mellow, and sometimes get a little irritated that he is not helping with all the work that needs to be done.

Ryan - Ryan is always looking forward to days off so he can "relax" and take a break from the stress of work or school. He will sometimes work on a project for a while, sometimes will go to the gym, or sometimes will take the kids swimming. Other times, however, he is a little overwhelmed with the chaos that goes on around here on many days, especially when the kids are out of school. Luckily, for the most part he is glad to be home. :-)

Kids - The kids all have different opinions, again, about Dad's days off, or if Dad is on his way home. It really depends on the day. If they've been giving me a hard time all day, then they are not looking forward to Dad coming home because they know they are in trouble. Austyn & Andrew, in particular, will often ask me if Dad will be "going to work today" first thing in the morning. I guess I let the kids get away with a lot more than Ryan will, probably because I need them to be entertained somehow so I can get some of my work done.

Anyway, those are just a couple thoughts I've had recently that I thought I would blog about. Probably not real interesting for my friends out there, but a good "journal" entry for me. Hopefully someday I can look back and see that some things have changed for the positive. Who knows, only time will tell. --> Julie