Nothing quite like a tidy-freak who is also the boss.
Spouse and I have agreed: If you mess it, you tidy it. We cannot seem to agree that if I find your mess, I have to remind you nicely and vice versa. But we have agreed to do it anyway.
Parents who commandeer their children’s weekends & afternoons will be sorry. The child has no recourse but to obey—for now. Wait until the kid is in college or working a job & living on his/her own. The parent’s who ask for help will get a flat NO.
Learning a little self-respect and self-discipline are not bad things to add to one’s personality at a young age. It is overdoing the lessons that reduces their value.
My family moved a lot when I was young. First from the bush to a a large city, then from a strictly French speaking area to an English speaking area. Like we say in French, les voyages forment la jeunesse. A bit traumatizing but life changing in a good way.
My lady and I, both clutterers (don’t say “hoarders”), never pushed our kid to be neat; why demand something of him that we wouldn’t demand of ourselves? Then he went off to the Peace Corps and spent a couple of years in a tiny house in Cameroon. Since he got back, he’s been kicking our butts (in a loving way, of course) to declutter the house that he will someday inherit. He comes over every weekend and spends some time working on it with us, so it’s a win-win.
Concretionist over 3 years ago
Nothing quite like a tidy-freak who is also the boss.
Spouse and I have agreed: If you mess it, you tidy it. We cannot seem to agree that if I find your mess, I have to remind you nicely and vice versa. But we have agreed to do it anyway.
ardhow20044 over 3 years ago
Parents who commandeer their children’s weekends & afternoons will be sorry. The child has no recourse but to obey—for now. Wait until the kid is in college or working a job & living on his/her own. The parent’s who ask for help will get a flat NO.
jpayne4040 over 3 years ago
Been there, done that. I feel for you, cartoon kid.
sandpiper over 3 years ago
Learning a little self-respect and self-discipline are not bad things to add to one’s personality at a young age. It is overdoing the lessons that reduces their value.
Deezlebird over 3 years ago
My credo is that no woman, on her deathbed, ever said “I wish I’d kept a cleaner house.” I have too many other things to do to worry about that.
Kroykali over 3 years ago
I love how Frazz is genuinely concerned at the thought of this kid possibly moving away.
cervelo over 3 years ago
My family moved a lot when I was young. First from the bush to a a large city, then from a strictly French speaking area to an English speaking area. Like we say in French, les voyages forment la jeunesse. A bit traumatizing but life changing in a good way.
The Brooklyn Accent over 3 years ago
My lady and I, both clutterers (don’t say “hoarders”), never pushed our kid to be neat; why demand something of him that we wouldn’t demand of ourselves? Then he went off to the Peace Corps and spent a couple of years in a tiny house in Cameroon. Since he got back, he’s been kicking our butts (in a loving way, of course) to declutter the house that he will someday inherit. He comes over every weekend and spends some time working on it with us, so it’s a win-win.
Ubermick over 3 years ago
Why on earth is a grown man reacting with such horror at the thought of an eight year old boy who attends the school he works at moving away?