A Week with no Toys

Last weekend I had HAD it! (Some weekends are like that, even in Australia).

Everywhere I looked there were messes; it was much worse than normal.  For several weeks (like the entire clump of 21 off track days) kids seemed to be pulling a drop and run routine when they finished playing with one toy and wanted something new.  Our house felt like a disaster area.  I could hardly stand it.  I just can't keep up with six mini whirlwinds.

To make matters worse, the kids started leaving Wii games and DVDs on the floor and then as they ran around they would step on the discs cracking them.  We've lost eight disks to this madness in the past month.  It did not make for a happy mother.

Josh and I tried talking to the kids on several occasions.  We cajoled and pleaded and threatened.  We read this awesome Berenstain Bears book about privelidge and responsibility. Nothing worked.  The kids didn't seem to care. 

Last weekend was the last straw.  Each child in our house has a couple of assigned chores that he or she is to do every morning.  They aren't hard, clean their bedroom and straighten one other room and practice the piano (for those old enough to be learning piano).  This weekend every child told us their work was done.  We went to check the bedrooms and found pig stys.  The beds were not made, there were toys shoved in corners and under beds, candy wrappers dotted the edges (not to mention there shouldn't be candy in the bedrooms in the first place), CDs littered the floor.  Something drastic had to happen.  It was time to put the hurt on.

So we brought the heavy (I can say that because Josh served his LDS mission on the south side of Chicago -- which is the baddest part of town).  We had each child pack ALL of their toys into their toy boxes and then haul them out to our shed.  We also took all of the comunal toys (except Ellie's dolls) out to the shed as well.  This left us a house with virtually no toys (yup, meanest parents on the planet).

We also stashed away the Wii bits where they can't be walked on (or played with).  The kids were not happy.  It has been a rough week. 

Gavin has prayed for his toys to be safe in the shed every night and told God how much he misses them. 

I have been surprised with the results.  The kids do miss their toys, and hopefully we have made our point about the partnership of priveledges and responsibility.  I have been surprised how many boys will play with dolls when that is the only toy available.  However, this endeavor hasn't really cut down on the mess too much.  We now find clothes and books and papers and silverware spread around the house (who knew kitchen utensils would be substitute play things).  Aparently I have missed the mark when it comes to teaching my children to actually tidy up.  I'll have to work on that.

As an added bonus, we decided to break Ellie of her Binky and move her from the crib to a bed this week (I wasn't really ready for that move, but Josh was determined so we compromised...we both have to win sometimes).  Losing her Binky has been a cinch, which I did not expect because she was awfully attached.  However, moving to a bed has been a nightmare.

Don't let that cute smile fool you (she is a photo freak and LOVES having
her picture taken), she turns into a banshee when left in her room behind the gate.

We have made this transition before so I expected a bit of getting out of bed and stuff, but this little girl takes the cake.  She was up over and over and over all night long and into EVERYTHING!  So we resorted to putting a gate in her doorway at bedtime.

So now she screams at night.

She is pretty stubborn and amazingly persistent and she hates being stuck in her room so she screams at us, sometimes for nearly an hour before she wears herself out and falls asleep.  It is almost funny (if it wasn't frustrating) because she gets so mad.  We do go silently go tuck her back into her bed, but she scoots right back to the door and yells at us some more.  The good part is that when she does get to sleep, she sleeps well because she is exhausted.

It has been an interesting week.  Life can definetely be one crazy adventure. 

Ellie just couldn't stay awake until nap time after a full night of screaming.  She is worn out.
(Also, note the Wii game and books on the floor ready to be walked on...that is exactly what I am talking about).