There are very few things that make me feel like I'm a horrible mother. However, walking in my daughters bedroom makes me feel the debts of my failures. It's been easier just closing the door and pretending that room simply never existed in our home.
I feel like I need to explain and maybe even defend myself here. You see, I grew up as a latch key kid and the oldest girl of five. I typically was expected to do many of the chores around our house and care for my three younger siblings. Not to mention, I shared a room with my sister. (To protect her privacy, we'll call her Miss Messy.) In our house growing up, chores in general where frustrating. It was my responsibility to make sure everyone did their chores and if they didn't, I had to. Cleaning my childhood bedroom was a nightmare. Usually it started with Miss Messy and I fighting like crazy and ended with me doing it all myself. Times haven't changed much. Instead of Miss Messy now it's The Princess. Defense number two... She is my youngest, the only girl and spoiled beyond measure!
The Princess is turning 9 years old in a few days. So I decided she needed to clean her room and even told her she can have her first slumber party if she did. BUT... I cannot get her to do it! For over a week now I have had her in there everyday "working on it" and I'm just tired. The Princess was getting nowhere on her own. I tried "helping" her. I tried having her help me. Nothing. So I'm sucking it all up and doing the one thing I probably shouldn't be doing, I'm cleaning it myself!
After many hours, 5 trash bags, boxes of stuff to give away and one happy mom later her room is clean, organized and I feel like a better mom for having done it. I think she will have a much easier time keeping it up because I am determined to stay on her case about it. Besides that, if she doesn't keep it clean they may come and take her off to live with another family! (or so she was told by an anonymous source! LOL)
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