An Update on the 'Toy Situation'
So I wrote last weekend that I'd cleaned up and sorted through the kids toys and that we were making it Arora's job to pick them up every night. Since then, I've made a few observations about those toys.
1) The old saying "Out of sight, out of mind" really is true.
Since I got everything cleaned up and it's all neatly and conveniently held in toy bins the kids seem to have forgotten that they have those toys that they can't immediately see. So for the past week we've played only with the Mega blocks Lego and with Zack's dump trucks and trains. All the balls and noise makers, the dolls, stuffed animals, puzzles and Care Bears are simply and, apparently, easily forgotten. But do I dare to get rid of them, either to charity or one of our friends with kids? Somehow I don't think that would go over well and personally I can't quite force myself to do it.
2) When an abundance of toys is missing the kids use more 'ordinary' items to play with.
For instance, right now my living room is mostly clear of toys but all of my couch and chair cushions are spread out across the floor and the kids (and yes, I mean BOTH the kids) are using them as 'stepping stones' to move around the room. Of course now I can't sit in my living room, unless I want to sit on the couch springs but they are enjoying themselves immensely. On the plus side, while my living room furniture might be in disarray, my pots and pans and Tupperware are all happily in their cupboards and drawers.
3) Arora's understanding of her job is vaster than I realized.
The first two nights went very smoothly. I should have realized immediately that it was too easy. Now even the suggestion of tidying the room up sends her in to a fit. She's figured out, you see, that after the room is cleaned, it is bedtime. And bedtime has long been a time of arguments with her. I'm glad she's smart but sometimes she's too smart for MY own good. We'll keep battling with her on it and hopefully (I've got my fingers crossed) someday she'll resign herself to the task. [Some one knock on wood please??]
So there it is.... and now I've got to wonder, who exactly is winning the toy battle?
1) The old saying "Out of sight, out of mind" really is true.
Since I got everything cleaned up and it's all neatly and conveniently held in toy bins the kids seem to have forgotten that they have those toys that they can't immediately see. So for the past week we've played only with the Mega blocks Lego and with Zack's dump trucks and trains. All the balls and noise makers, the dolls, stuffed animals, puzzles and Care Bears are simply and, apparently, easily forgotten. But do I dare to get rid of them, either to charity or one of our friends with kids? Somehow I don't think that would go over well and personally I can't quite force myself to do it.
2) When an abundance of toys is missing the kids use more 'ordinary' items to play with.
For instance, right now my living room is mostly clear of toys but all of my couch and chair cushions are spread out across the floor and the kids (and yes, I mean BOTH the kids) are using them as 'stepping stones' to move around the room. Of course now I can't sit in my living room, unless I want to sit on the couch springs but they are enjoying themselves immensely. On the plus side, while my living room furniture might be in disarray, my pots and pans and Tupperware are all happily in their cupboards and drawers.
3) Arora's understanding of her job is vaster than I realized.
The first two nights went very smoothly. I should have realized immediately that it was too easy. Now even the suggestion of tidying the room up sends her in to a fit. She's figured out, you see, that after the room is cleaned, it is bedtime. And bedtime has long been a time of arguments with her. I'm glad she's smart but sometimes she's too smart for MY own good. We'll keep battling with her on it and hopefully (I've got my fingers crossed) someday she'll resign herself to the task. [Some one knock on wood please??]
So there it is.... and now I've got to wonder, who exactly is winning the toy battle?
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