Mother's Curse

Last Saturday the boy and I spent a few hours working on his room. We organized all his clothes and toys and transformed it from a pig sty to a little boys room.

Yesterday morning I went down to his room to find that in four days he had managed to transform it back into its former sty-like state. I was less than thrilled. However, undaunted I did what I do best--lecture. I told him that when he throws his clothes all over he is being disrespectful. I told him I work hard to keep his clothes clean and all I ask is that he puts them away. Then in a stroke of pure motherly genius I told him he obviously didn't understand how much effort goes into keeping his clothes clean, so this next week he would be in charge of his own laundry.

I was very proud of myself. This week coming week I planned on making him sort the clothes, then we would put them in the washer and transfer them to the drier. After that he could fold his clothes and put them away, all the while we would be discussing respect and responsibility. GENIUS! Except for the fact that sometime I forget he's only five.

When I went to pick him up from school that afternoon I was approached by one of the women who works in his classroom. She seemed very concerned when she said, "Um, Kai was complaining all day because his legs were cold. I told him, 'Kai, if your legs are cold, wear pants tomorrow.' He said that he would but all his pants are dirty and he has to do all his own laundry, and he's just not sure when he's going to get clean pants."

Mike likes to point out that this one is completely my fault. I am the child who convinced the neighbor that my mother made me do all the house work. I am also the child who talked a perfect stranger into buying me a candy bar by telling him that my mother wouldn't feed me.

What goes around comes around.