I won't even go into the process of trying to get Smiley to brush his teeth. It would break even the Man of Steel's fortitude if he had to follow up with this seven-year-old's teeth brushing habits for a week. I'll spare you.
But for years now the rule in our house has always been that before you can play your room must be clean. (I don't get to play, so of course my room is exempt from this rule).
Cleaning under beds and closets are included as part of that cleaning. Today when I went downstairs, I saw Sheriff's room aka disaster and reminded him he needed to clean it before doing anything else.
"But that will take forever, and I won't get to play! It's just too hard!" he protested.
I gave him the look every mother gives their kid like... are you really going to make me say it? But I did. "If you had been cleaning your room every morning like you were supposed to, it wouldn't be this messy. And you can't play until it is clean." I followed it up with - "Don't forget to clean under your bed and your closet."
Imagine my surprise when he told me that he forgot that he was supposed to clean those places.
What? (like he forgot to clean his floor and the top of his dresser too?)
Rather than argue with him over the fact that he should have been doing it everyday (I saw the argument brewing in his eyes) I simply walked upstairs, made him a sign and silently taped it on his wall.
Later as we headed home from a trip to the library Wannabe commented on having an imaginary friend. I said that Smiley was my imaginary friend. The boys protested saying Smiley could NOT be my imaginary friend. I simply smiled and said that I imagined that he was my friend making good choices every day. Smiley's brothers laughed at that and Smiley said, "I will be your friend and make good choices every day."
Every mom has to have her dreams aka imagination, right? Good luck Smiley!
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