What Have I Spawn?
How is it possible that I have borne a child who is a total slob? Who doesn’t mind hiding dirty dishes in her drawers, hiding TRASH beneath a blanket in her big cushy chair? Who doesn’t want to make her bed and organize her hair things and put the shoes in her closet? Who doesn’t want to clean her rabbit’s cage until the stench literally makes her eyes water.Â
How did this happen? Really? It’s no secret that I like things tidy. Dirty dishes in the sink drive me nuts and clutter makes me twitch. I clean the lint filter between every load of clothes. I take my dishwasher apart and wash it, so that it can properly get my dishes clean. Beds are made, laundry started, dishes are put away before we ever leave for school in the mornings so that I can come home and go straight to work.
And yet, I have a daughter who appears to have absolutely no interest in all things domestic.
She has begged for a trashcan for in her room so that she can put her garbage away. I have resisted this for a long time because I would like her to put her trash in the big can in the utility room where it belongs. Today, after hauling an entire tall kitchen garbage bag full of trash from her room–things that had been piled on her dresser, chest of drawers, under her bed, in her closet and just generally on the floor, I have finally admitted defeat. I am tired of 
Clearly she is not going to make the trek to the utility room. I give up. Maybe, just maybe, if I put an actual can for the garbage in her room, the trash will actually go in it.Â
I am hopeful blogfriends, but I’m not holding my breath. 
September 28th, 2007 at 5:10 am
Holy guacamole, Batgirl! Dishes in the drawer you say?
And yes, your darling offspring needs a garbage can in her room. I’m still reeling over the dish in the drawer…
September 28th, 2007 at 7:29 am
Yep, pretty bad. She’ll be growing mold before you know it.
Of course, I do remember not being able to set my glass down in Scotland before SOMEONE had it picked up, rinsed, and in the dishwasher. It got to where I had to protect my glass. I mean, what’s the point of washing something when you are going to use it again, for the same kind of drink? (I know Rhonda is cringing as she reads this…
September 28th, 2007 at 8:16 am
It’s sad, Jen, but it’s happened. I found a salad plate in her sock drawer. I have no idea what had been on it.
Danniele! There were five of us! All those glasses! Quite disturbing.
September 28th, 2007 at 8:24 am
You are on a roll this morning….
. I am somewhere in between your daughter and yourself. I however, couldn’t handle dishes in drawer and a room that is trashed to that extent.. 
. Does girl plan to empty said trash can in her room on a weekly basis to the outside trash can? That would me my requirement for her to have a trash can of this magnitude in her room. Anywho, I hope you have a wonderful weekend, per the weatherman… 
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September 28th, 2007 at 8:25 am
Sorry, would be my requirement.
September 28th, 2007 at 8:56 am
Okay, you’ve admitted it. You like stuff to be clean. No problem. I’m the same way but not to such extremes. And yes, I’ve tried to teach my kids to clean up after themselves but all you can do is teach them. It’s up to them to do the rest.
#2 has left so much trash in her room (but not her dorm room, mind you) that I’ve had to go in there once every 3-6 months (only because I force myself to wait) to heft out 4 big garbage bags of merchandise tags, grocery bags, shoe boxes, lint, water bottles… you name it.
#3 likes to leave empty soda cans in his room.
#1 and #4 are my angels. Yes, it’s possible that some children throw trash away. Yet, I do remember finding a few dishes on #1’s dresser. And #3 and #4 don’t like to empty the trash in their bathroom. No, that would be too easy. They’d rather let the trash overflow until they have a large mound crawling up the wall. Ack!!
Climbing to the 2nd floor? Not a good thing.
September 28th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Ok my son HAS a trash can in his room, but where is the trash?? All over the floor
I go in their with blinders on so I can view a straight path as I walk, trying to ignore all the other crap he has everywhere. He is not allowed food in his own domain, stems from finding moldy dishes there years before, that I think were there for said years!
And don’t get me started on laundry..geez I clean, dry and fold so everything for school is proper lookin, and where does it go…on the floor!
I keep hoping he grows out of it, he’s 16, perhaps he never will!!
September 28th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Aiyiyi… I’m definitely no neat-nik (much to my husband’s constant and ongoing dismay), but I have to draw a line at the dishes in the drawers–we get ants here whether we want them or not, and that’s just sending the little buggers an engraved invitation…
I’d be OK with the trash can in her room as long as she periodically empties the trash therein into the main can.
Unfortunately for my hubby, so far our kids seem a bit lacking in the neat/clean gene… hang in there, Rhonda!
January 11th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
..Ask her why she had the dishes in her drawer and tell me her answer. My girl does the same!