When is the right time for kids to be responsible for their own stuff?
If I never have to clear up Cappers’ ‘craft table’ again, it will be too soon. That table, that craft, that girl… they are impossible. Little bits of all the little bits that I foolishly purchased and gave to her. All those little bits of little.
Everything ends up on that table. Everything.
I threaten to sweep the whole lot into the bin if she doesn’t keep it tidy and then wish I hadn’t because I have to sweep the whole lot into the bin. Later I have to get it out of the bin. It then creeps back into her room like a child in the night. All snug and cosy and randomly scattered everywhere.
I see it creeping and a little part of me sighs loudly. Then I allow it because it allows her free access to the art and craft she adores. I love giving her free expression, but I don’t want to have to clean it up. Why can’t she clean it up herself?
Child labour
When do you think that will happen?
When will I be free?
Red Roses and Crystal ~ Annie says
Quite possibly never. My 22 year old daughter is a creative type and this has been a dilemma for me since she painted her first watercolour at the age of 18 months.
My advice..grin and bear it but occasionally get irate so she knows there are limits to the creative mess allowed throughout the house.
Has this helped? Probably not what you wanted to read.
xx
Toni says
I HEAR YOU. If you get any good tips, please pass them along. My Princess makes a godawful mess on her desk in my craft room, and then ‘has’ to use the kitchen table.
Caroline Rose says
Tricky tricky. I suppose one wants to encourage such crafty play, but it would be nice not to have to deal with the after effects! Maybe try asking her to just tidy one bit away, like put the crayons back in the pot or put the rubbish in the bin. Or make it fun and put some music on and do it together!
Diminishing Lucy says
Olivia has an old kitchen table with the legs hacked down short as her desk/craft table. She is a generally really neat child. NOT SO on that table though. But at least it is restrained to the table.
Lexie, on the other hand….ohmyfuckinggod she drives me demented with her snippeting bits of crap. Shred ALL around the house.
Charlie? He shrugs and tells me that craft is for girls and is quite boring….thank goodness for him!
xx
melissa says
The boy’s table is in the corner of our only living area. The ‘stuff’ that I’m not allowed to throw out seems to expand overnight and fills baskets and baskets. Add to that a two year old who delights in ‘cleaning’ with a sweeping gesture of his arm…. and there is crap everywhere. Everywhere! I keep finding little googly eyes floating around, and stickers that have stuck themselves to the floor, or to my shoes or even worse – right in the middle of my bum!
LionessLady says
Never Bron! That’s when.
(I feel the same about the lego table!!!!)
jodi says
oh the craft table. I empathise wholeheartedly. Daniel always reminds me that che won’t learn to clean up if I always do it for him. I even heard che say the other day: “…it’s OK dad, mum will clean it up.”
Oh dear.
jodi says
ps. no word veri – so much easier! x
jodi says
pps. makes me want to comment 3 times in a row just because š x
Milina says
My husband hates any toys/equipment that has more than two pieces. I would rather them have a range of craft/toy/art whatever’s so they can learn and have fun. The cleaning up kills me. But I suck at picking up after myself too, so I think for me it’s a bit of karma.
ally says
Probably not in this life time
Sorry….
Cath says
At least it’s on the table… The Munchkin has a lovely creative area set up in the dining room, where there is a wooden floor. Why, oh why does he insist on bring the paper, scissors, glue, textas etc etc and doing his projects on the lounge room floor? Next to the Lego creations. Next to the dress ups. Next to the stick which is doubling as a sword.
And if I ask him to tidy up… melt downs. Hoping it won’t continue to 22. 5 1/2 is bad enough!
kindred spirits says
I love free expression, free spirited, free range…but they do have to clean up. Even if that means reminding them 550 times!!!
Mum on the Run says
Sorry – I giggled.
I can’t stand it when whipping the garbage bag around has no effect – ’cause I have to follow through!!
No answers for you, love.
Empathy though.
š xx
Marion Williams-Bennett says
Argh! My daughter is 11 and STILL needs to be reminded to hang up her damn coat and put her shoes away. all we can do it keep at it, keep at at…and threaten to the throw it all away!
Simoney says
hahaha, daughters aye??
Miss Fab does not know how to “tidy up” her room.
She does what she calls “dusting day” and completely rearranges her furniture, overhauls her drawers and redecorates. This occurs once a week or so. Inbetween times she is incapable of shutting drawers, picking up clothes or pulling up her covers. It would take her two minutes.
arrgghhh!!!
Lisa @ HomeWorkMum says
I’m resigned to the fact that it’s never going to happen in our house. But then I look at the work table in my studio and think I have no right to get cranky.
A house full of creatives can get messy, but sometimes it’s just easier to look the other way.
Lau@Corridor Kitchen says
My advice? Ditch the craft table. Get a ‘useful box’.
http://www.stuffwiththing.com/2010/07/useful-box-play/
When I was a kid my mum made us up one of these. Whenever if was time to do something crafty, she’d pull it out and we could paint/glue/craft (if that’s a verb) outside or at the kitchen table.
When craft time was done, we would put all the stuff back in the box ourselves and then she’d put it away in the top of the linen cupboard or wherever it was kept.
Worked like a charm.
Julia Kuku Couture says
Only recently discovered your blog and loving it.
My baby boy is only 18months and all the things, bits, books and gadgets seem to multiply each night it’s getting scary š
I try to cull but for each one I put into a cupboard five more seem to appear.
Very strange stuff š
Nat - Muddy Farmwife says
Thank goodness it’s not just my girls!!! I do get the garbage bag out and I do throw it out. Every so often I also cull when they’re not home, to reduce everything. But chaos still reigns supreme on the craft table! No answers from me I’m sorry!
m.e (Cathie) says
yep, yep, YEP!
i agree with it all. I love their freedom of craft but the craft table is a disaster area at times!
but you know what, I can’t say anything this last week or so because my craft table (coffee table) has multiplied & given birth to multiple yoyos, buttons & hairclips overnight.
I was just thinking I NEED to sort it out. argghhh.. tomorrow..
freedom of craft I say! ♥
Cherie @ 'a baby called Max' says
When you find out what that magical age is, can you let me know?
I like to know what I’m in for š
Is it too early to ask a {nearly} 15 month old to put his damn mega blocks back in the box???
š
xx
Rhonda says
Maybe never. My “craft area” always seems to get away from me. But mine is behind closed doors so I allow myself that one area where I don’t drive myself crazy about it. Also my son (age 11) still cannot keep his room very tidy. He thinks it is but we think differently.
Belinda says
I ask myself this all the time. I am totally over N’s lego everywhere. He leaves a trail throughout the whole house. Grrrr
Mrs Bok - The Bok Flock says
Maxabella!! You have chooks and you haven’t posted about them yet???? Eeeeek! Hop to it young lady!! I’m most impatient to see them!
My kids…I call them the tide. They wash into a room and randomly dump things then wash out again and do the same elsewhere. Sigh. Kids have been great therapy for my OCD tendencies!!