Keeping Her Room Clean!

Oh what a wonderful teen that I have, and yet, we still have something that it an issue, but not anything really big......it's her ROOM! Oh how I want to go into that room and clean it all up while she's at school but I know that I cannot. I can threaten to clean it up while she's gone, just to see if I get a reaction out of her and hopefully get her to start picking it up, but will it actually get done? Most likely, it will, but I know it's not going to be the kind of clean that I WANT! Well, I suppose if this is the only gripe I have right now, that's great. I guess coming from a mother who has had her own business of cleaning houses for over 25 years, I want a much cleaner room that what I know I will get, but I think that as long as she's keeping it half-way decent, I can't really complain that much. She vaccums the living room without being prompted to do so, helps wash dishes without my asking, but when it comes to her own room..........I give up!

Sticking To The Rules

Around our house, we have times that we get out of our routine, but mostly if we stick to it, things go pretty good around here. We have been so busy lately with our buying the new horse "Frenchie" and going back and forth to take care of things at the stables that sometimes we get our routine out of wack. Yes, that's okay, however, we have to try and stick to the rules of the house. No matter how much fun it is, buying and owning a new horse, the bedroom still needs to be cleaned up, the laundry still has to get washed and put away, and chores still need to be tended to. Keeping up with chores is important because it keeps you grounded.....well, maybe I don't mean grounded, but it helps with the flow of the household. We have so much going on, that it would be disheartening to come home to the laundry all over the bed when it's time to go to sleep or coming into a dirty room and tripping over something in the dark when it should have been picked up in the first place. "Dear darling teen of mine, I love you so much, but please remember that JUST because you got a new horse and even though there are more chores taking care of it, you have to keep up with what you had to do before. Show your respect by keeping up with your room cleaning and helping out. If you want to show me how happy you are with your new horse, help me by keeping up with your chores. Love, from mom"