Confessions of a Tidy House Mama

1

We have all read the blogs, quotes, and social media posts telling us that our kids are only babies once and we should drop everything (including housework) and just enjoy our children. While I’m aware that this sentiment tugs really hard on the old heartstrings, I just disagree. 

Historically speaking, moms are spending MORE time with their children than ever before. I read something recently that said today’s working moms are spending as much time with their children as SAHM’s from decades ago. Read that again. No wonder we’re all overwhelmed and feel we are being stretched entirely too thin. So when we hear those people telling us not to dust, or let the laundry pile up because the kids only small once, it sounds reasonable. One less thing to do, and oh, by the way, you don’t have to feel guilty about it. 

Well, I’m not here for it. I’ve been keeping a tidy home since way before Marie Kondo made it so popular.

I’m not missing out on my daughter’s childhood because I choose to keep a tidy home.

I have zero chill when my house is in complete disarray. I can’t relax and it gives me anxiety. So for me, it is entirely more realistic for me to “clean as I go” throughout the day, rather than saving everything for the end of the day when she’s in bed. Or worse, waiting days or weeks until it’s to the point that it will take hours to catch up.

I am one hundred percent good with my daughter being bored to tears for 20 minutes while I do a quick sweep of the kitchen after the breakfast and lunch “rush.” She’ll be fine. And if she’s desperate for entertainment, she can help me. She just turned 3 and I’m constantly trying to come up with ways she can help with chores around the house. But that’s for another post.

The suggestion that I should wait until my daughter is in bed to do things around the house is insulting to me. 

Don’t I deserve some downtime? I am not sorry. I do not want to stand at the sink and do a full day’s worth of dishes at 10pm after I’ve just wrestled my kid to bed for the past 2 hours. Nope. I want (and deserve) to sit down-maybe for the first time all day-pour myself a glass of wine, kick my feet up, and watch all the trashy tv. 

Does this happen every day? Absolutely not. There are plenty of days where my house is trashed and I simply do not have the time to get to it until the end of the day. My bathrooms are not sparkling, like, ever. My baseboards are probably too dusty. I’m not on my hands and knees scrubbing my floors daily. But in general, my home is usually a tidy one. It makes me a happier person, and that is what my daughter deserves. 

There is no cleaning fairy.

At least not in our house. I think it’s valuable for my daughter to see me work hard around the house. She needs to know that there is no magic cleaning fairy that comes at night after she goes to bed and {POOF} clean house! Although she is only 3, one day (soon) she will be 18 and heading out on her own. I want to prepare her to be able to take care of herself and this includes keeping a clean home, learning to do laundry, and eventually cooking. 

So if you’re a fellow “tidy house mama,” cheers to you. I hope you’re relaxing with a glass of wine and enjoying your tidy little nest. And if you’re not, and you want to be…maybe I should write another post (hahaha.) But if you’re NOT a tidy house mama and it doesn’t bother you, then cheers to you, too. I’m accepting all your tips for being able to ignore the messes!

 

Previous articleBe the Good
Next articleShattering the Insta-mom Mirage
Erin
Hey there! I am the wife to a handsome airline pilot and the mommy to a gorgeous and hysterical two year old little girl. When my husband is home we love to travel, spend time with good friends and family, LAUGH, relax on the porch with a cold beverage, or do projects around our home. I am a stay at home mom and we currently live in Springboro, OH.

1 COMMENT

  1. I completely agree. The mess stresses me out and my kids (4 girls ages 2 to 11) need to see how the work gets done and need to be involved in the process. My house is never as clean as I would like it to be…whoever puts high gloss floors throughout the entire house is NUTS…but I refuse to live in a disaster zone or to teach my kids it’s okay to play before work is done (with the occasional exception). Kudos for writing this article. Great job!

Comments are closed.