Cleaning…aarrgghh!

OK, I admit it…I do not like to clean anymore. (My house that is!)

In my younger days I was a bit of a clean freak, I would so enjoy some good scrubbing with a big bottle of bleach, some rags, a mop and a good deal of discretionary time.

Once I became a mom, I would still do a good amount of cleaning, though not quite as thoroughly as bk (before kids) because there was so little of that discretionary time left lying around.

In the last several years an odd transformation has taken place. I just don’t care if my house is not spotless, and the smell of bleach is no longer a necessity for me to rest easy. Once my children became old enough for me to start having fun with and hanging out with a paradigm shift occurred and I started thinking…”Who wants to take time away from doing things with them to clean?” Yuck!

Now don’t get me wrong, from the time they were quite young they have had chores and we usually clean the house once a week with some loud music blaring and we try to make it a fun group activity. But more and more I find myself less interested in a “perfectly clean home” because my top priority is spending time with and making memories with my children.

Years ago we literally would not do anything unless the chores were done. Now, if it’s a choice between getting the chores done or going off somewhere to take a hike – the hike wins every time. As a matter of fact, just about every other thing wins every time…if it is something that involves being together as a family.

What’s up with that?

For a while I felt guilty about the fact that I wasn’t teaching my children the importance of chores, cleaning, blah, blah, blah. But reality has set in friends and I’m struck with the fact that in six short years my home will be SPOTLESS again whether I like it or not…but my memory making opportunities with my children, in my home, will be long gone.

So, once again, I confess – I do not like to clean.

And, though we do give our home a “wipe and prayer” each week, don’t you be thinking about wearing any white gloves should you be coming to visit us, trust me our home won’t pass that test! And interestingly…I don’t care!