Monday 27 October 2008

whistle while she works

My youngest has gotten a cleaning bug from somewhere, and oh, yeah, I'm fighting this.

Snort.

R whips her broom and dustpan around like she's going for the Silver Shoes competition (Junior Division) trophy. If she had pet mice they'd no doubt be singing a happy tune with her.

We tell her she's a good girl, that doesn't she want to play? but no. This is playing, she says, and swirls her mop with more joy than I've ever had wielding it.

'Y'know, honey,' I say, 'You could let me do that.' (I'm also covertly eyeing the puddles of water and the glued-on dog hair scattered behind.)

'Mama! NO. I am going to clean this, then I'll sit down and Cass and I can watch cartoons.' she said, zooming through the rooms with abandonment.

She's even got her brother thinking this is fun.

*shock*

I tried again. 'Rosey, I'll finish this.'

Rosey tipped the mop bucket into the sink. 'All done, Mama.'

'I can do this stuff b'cause I'm a gen-us. You have to be to take care of a fam'bly.'



Y'know, who am I to argue with this next generation?

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Send her to my house. I'll keep her busy.

Linda said...

Now is the time for you to whip out those bonbons and start watching your stories!

Stomper Girl said...

You gotta let them help, don't you? Even when it slows you down. I had 'help' doing the painting on the weekend, the next lot I'm doing when they're busy.

Unknown said...

Woohoo, the next step is juristictions, so that you and Bear can visit at night! :)

Anonymous said...

Hmmm. I never ever put the words "genius" and "mopping" together in a sentence. Maybe she's onto something.

Loth said...

A mopping genius. That's the kind of genius I could USE!

Anonymous said...

She sounds like my little boy! Everytime he sees me cleaning up my bathroom, he actually wants to help, unlike his dad.

Since I couldn't persuade him to do something fun, I decided to get some eco-friendly cleaning products, and found a great one called Attitude. You can read more about them here: http://www.savvymom.ca/index.php/newsletter/tor_squeaky_green/2

That way I don't feel bad when he sprays stuff on the shower curtain.

Happy cleaning with your new helper!

Anonymous said...

Do they pick up their toys? If so, I am the most jealous mother ever. I am trying to teach my girls to help clean, but it is an uphill battle.

Anonymous said...

Seriously, I've got four myself, and can you bottle that I-want-to-clean thing and send a case to my house?

Anonymous said...

By the way, thanks for dropping by and leaving the comment. Very neighborly.

Hank

Run ANC said...

That's awesome. The Boy has taken to insisting that we clean the bathroom. "It's dirty!" I can't believe he's dissing my (non) cleaning skills.

Sweet Coalminer said...

That is adorable. Squee!

Woman in a Window said...

Don't argue, just quietly get out your fuzzy slippers and glide through the house, cleaning up after her. I know the "help," it doesn't come highly recommended.

Anonymous said...

How adorable. Too bad it doesn't last past the age of 7. When they learn to clean correctly, they don't think of it as play anymore. Why is that??

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