Confessions of an Uptight Momma
Well, I've been working at "getting over it". I must get over it. Do I really want our kids to grow up and remember how Momma never let them paint? So yesterday morning when Anna Kate told me she wanted to paint here's what I did:
1.)I told her yes! She was so excited. I told her that we would paint later in the day. This gave me time to mentally prepare myself.
2.)I preached to myself and prepared myself that there would, indeed, be a mess. A big mess. I told myself that it would be okay. Messes clean up.
3.) I prepared for the mess. I put a plastic table cloth down. I put paint smocks on the kids and got out lots of wash clothes for them to wipe their little paint-y hands on.
4.) I sat down and painted with them. I figured that, if I was involved in a project of my own, I would be less likely to notice the mess going on around me.
5.) I timed myself on the clean-up. This is my favorite trick. If there is a task that I dislike or put off (like emptying the dishwasher, watering the houseplants, etc.) I get out my timer and see how long it actually takes me from start to finish. Do you know how long it took me to completely clean up the paint mess? Three and a half minutes. Really. I stuck the paint plate and utensils in the dishwasher. Took of the smocks, wiped down the kids, wadded the tablecloth, smocks and wash rags up and put it all in the washer. Then I wiped down the chairs and cabinets that Jake had run his fingers down. And it was done. Over. Completely cleaned up in 3 1/2 minutes. I spent way more than 3 1/2 minutes dreading the painting.
And we had a blast. We painted picture after picture after picture. Here are a few shots from our day:
posted by Erin at 7:43 AM
16 Comments:
I love your posts Erin. :) I hope I'm as good of a mommy as you some day. Love you!!
Looks like fun. I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to be able to deal with messy kids. Maybe I should memorise your steps for preparing. I think "get over it" is a good way to put it. Who wants to follow their kids around putting up every toy right after they sit it down. I'm praying for a whole lot of sanctification between now and when we have kids :)
P.S. We miss you guys!
P.P.S. Does Jake have a baby mullet??? :)
Dustin
How fun!!! I have to admit, I feel the same way about paint, glitter playdough... My solution to the paint was get an easel, bathing suits and a hose...so it's pretty much a daily summertime activity. I do go for the watercolors in the fall/winter. :)
I like it that you and my husband have so much in common here.
It's so funny to me how someone like ME wound up with MAJORLY clean and organized people like ya'll. Dustin really is already thinking of limiting the kids' toy collection, color coding baskets for toys or something like that. And we're not even preggers. :)
P.S. How is Jake so old? I miss ya'll!!!
Looks like fun! Get them the paint they can use in the tub. Then - there's NO cleanup! ;)
You and I have so much in common. I also have to really gear up to let Carter enjoy a glazed donut. How can a pastry that brings him such pleasure bring me so much anxiety?
Erin, I feel exactly the same way...I am the craft and paint grinch around here. When I just had the girls, I did as Sarah said and put them on either side of an easel outside on the patio...they ALWAYS ended up painting themselves and each other, which led me to the waterhose shower. I guess I'll have to get a second easel if we're going to take up painting again, or I'll have to 'get over it' and sit down at the table with all of them. Thanks for the post!
I feel the same way about messy stuff! You are such the good mommy....I won't show McCrae.
Dede
I'm something of a childless slob, but even I have to agree with you. That picture (up top, not the one's of the kids) gives me the creeps...it looks like a crime scene.
You're a brave woman.
I, too, can't stand paint! I tend to like watercolors sue to their easier clean-up. LOL,
I guess I should consider the actul clean-up time myself. Then it probably wouldn't seem so bad.
Looks like you had fun!
Erin! You're such a great mom! I actually don't remember ever painting as a child at home.... hmmmm.... Thanks for another great lesson for me to learn now before the baby is born!
HA! That's funny! It takes me DAYS to prepare to paint. Usually Dan does it...I hate the extra clean up. But you did put it in perspective, 3 1/2 mins?
I am in the process of trying to "get over" lots of my silly issues. It's definitely a death to self, yes? Love you!
How fun:) Isn't it funny how we all have our different hang-ups as parents? I have to talk myself down from the ledge whenever my girl wants to help me cook but can paint, glitter, glue, cut, all over the house with no qualms.
OH no! You are making me come to grips with the fact that I don't EVER let my kids paint! Play-doh is fine with me sometimes but paint.....geesh! Now I have to work on that one! :0) Love the pics!
Love your honesty! I understand the whole thing way too much- I mean do we really need more messes? The difference is - your house is probably ALWAYS clean and organized, what's my excuse??? I guess we all have to find our own level of mommy sanity! You're a great mom!
from an adult child who was never allowed to paint (play-do, glitter, nail polish...anything!) let me say your kids are going to be so much more well-adjusted because of what you did that day...way to go!
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