A note to my girls:
1. There will be no playing “dress-ups” for 2 weeks. This is because, inevitably, the current outfit is thrown on the floor. The dress-up clothes are worn (this is all inclusive. No one is content with only 1 dress-up outfit), the game of dress-ups ends, and a new, clean set of clothes are removed from the closet and put on. And this is repeated several times a day.
2. I don’t care WHAT you do to your clothes, how DIRTY they get, or HOW MUCH the activities of the day change, there will only be ONE fresh outfit worn, per day, for the next 2 weeks. The ONLY exception to this will be swimsuits, and this is limited to activities where getting wet is inevitable. If this privilege is abused, it will be revoked. Caution is advised in considering pushing me on this, it is very hot this week, and you will lose.
3. I am deadly serious. And while we’re at it, please immediately and permanently stop the incessant whining. Please.
Sigh.
July 18th, 2005 at 11:05 pm
I feel for you…. My last summer was very similar to what you describe and come this August the same scenario will repeat until mid September. 6 long weeks of beach, picnic…. sounds fun but a lot of hard work.
July 19th, 2005 at 12:04 am
Laura –
When mine own were little, I actually faked hearing loss if they whined at me. I gave them a helpless gesture, and made them repeat their pleas in a more reasonable tone.
Two kids nearly drove me insane. Three – you’re braver than I.
About the Faroese shawl style – it’s basically a middle rectangle, about a fourth to a third of the width of one’s shoulders, surrounded by two right triangles, with a little shoulder shaping at the top.
Can you get the Stahman book through Interlibrary Loan?
July 19th, 2005 at 2:07 am
I KNOW! Isn’t the amount of laundry in the summer just crushing? I’m with you on this one.
July 19th, 2005 at 2:12 am
I could add so many more things to that list. I’m not even going there with the dress up clothes, since you already did. I wonder how many times I would make my bed if I bothered to everytime our boys jump on and play motorboat, car, airplane, house, ocean liner, mountain, bird’s nest, zoo cage, or, or, or…
The one rule I finally made is that pillows and blankets can NEVER touch the floor.
July 19th, 2005 at 2:41 am
My mother had zero tolerance for whining. I mean ZERO. I firmly believe this is why I’m so forceful to this day. If I whined I AUTOMATICALLY didn’t get what I wanted. Just on principle. It stops the whining fast. Now I’m a pouter. But at least that is silent.
July 19th, 2005 at 5:18 am
Hip-hip Hooray! Hip-hip Hooray!
(I’m rooting for you, Laura!)
Call me before you have any serious breakdowns, okay?
July 19th, 2005 at 5:22 am
I was helping a girlfriend out who was expecting her 3rd child. I was amazed how much laundry her two children generated. We were up to 5 loads in 4 days – mostly her 3 year old daughter with multiple changes during the day. I feel for you!
July 19th, 2005 at 5:32 am
Oh, thanks. I’m actually doing well today. Yesterday was fine until the end of the day, when I had had enough. Today’s post, while true, is also quite sarcastic.
The rules were established to help my NEXT two weeks go better. See? I’m taking positive steps! But really, I’m fine.
July 19th, 2005 at 6:10 am
New ground rules were enforced here too… There will be NO playing baseball, batting cage style, in the basement which involves a bucket of 600 legos and a plastic bowling pin as said balls and bat resulting in hundreds of legos evenly distributed around the entire basement. NOT COOL!
Dude, we need a kids summer camp for knitters… knitters gather with beverages and needles by the pool while kids drive each other crazy some.where.else.
Sorry to ramble! 🙂
July 19th, 2005 at 2:53 pm
I found your post rather amusing today, because I seem to have the opposite problem with my boys. They would be fine wearing the same outfit all week. 😉
July 20th, 2005 at 7:28 am
Amen sister. Amen.