Thursday, July 9, 2009

What If I Just?

My most helpful child has come up with a new phrase.

Our conversations go something like this-

Can you please pick up the stuff in the TV area?
What if I just pick up the pillows?

Can you pick up all the Nerf darts from all over the house?
What if I just pick up the ones I used?

Can you please clear the dishes?
What if I just take mine?

Can you please empty the dishwasher?
What if I just do the silverware?

So I turned to him tonight (after it finally registered that this is a new phrase that he is repeatedly using on me) and said-

What if I just wash one of your socks this week?

He looked at me and smiled. 
This one is quick I tell you.

But then my mind started racing-

what if I just let's say for instance, hypothetically here-

washed only my clothes?
picked up only messes I had made?
made only my lunch?
brushed only my own teeth?
wiped only my own butt? (I apologize for that visual)
made a smoothie only for me?


This was fun to think about for a moment but then I started thinking about all of the mess that would be left behind and how there would be masses of laundry built up ready to attack and that my children would be eating all kinds of junk and their teeth would be rotting and their bottoms would be itchy and stuff would be strewn everywhere around my house.  

So, what if I just keep serving my family with a joyful heart (most of the time) and maybe, just maybe my guys will pick up on it and and want to serve not just themselves, but our family too? 

14 comments:

Kimmy @ kimmythingy said...

It sounds like someone is testing boundaries. My children like to try that all the time, I ask them to do something, and they try so hard to compromise! Haha!

A New England Girl said...

Someone is definitely testing boundaries- just as Kimberley said! What a riot though [maybe that's just an outsider's point of view though :)]. I love the way you responded to him, though. I hope your guys pick up on what you're trying to get across... I think they will before long. :)

Lauralee said...

Wow that really makes ya think, huh? just doing some bloghopping and came upon yours and I think its really cool. I've got a little artsy blog going on if you'd like to check out mine.

Mercy said...

This is so funny. Yesterday on a car ride my youngest daughter (Sissy age 10) said, "Mom, we should trade places and let Kayla (my 15 year old) and I be you and Dad". And because is summer and I was tired of talking, talking, talking (I don't know if boys talk as much as girls). I said, "sure, dad and I would love to be you and Kayla". Let me tell you...we have not worked out all the details yet, but my husband and I had a good laugh last night talking about it. Here are some of our ideas.

A Friday night and a Saturday day of doing nothing.
No cooking.
No cleaning.
Staying up late and our favorite....getting up WHENEVER WE FEEL LIKE IT.

We are so looking forward to this. I will let you know how it works out. For now I am just dreaming of how much fun we are going to have.

Ziggy Stardust said...

It is nice to dream, but you have the right idea in the end.

Anne

Kathleen said...

I had a conversation similiar to this with Mary recently when I told her if she only wanted to clean up her messes, that's fine. I would do the same thing and soon our house would be a pig sty, we would have ants and rats, and there would be no food to eat or clean clothes to wear. She promptly started to cry.

Aubrey said...

LOL
This was pretty funny! Well, probably not when it was being said TO you.

What a great looking family you have!

Coming by from SITS with a big WELCOME!

Silena said...

What would the world be without mommas? disaster ! Thanks for the laugh and encouragement!

Anonymous said...

girl please tell me you are ONLY wiping your own and little bears butt? LOL The other kids are way way too old now!!!

Unfortunately that idea of just doing it yourself with a joyful heart has not yielded for me children who want to help...they simply have decided this must be my job and I like doing it!!!
I hope it works for you, as for me I having to remold these kids into doing chores since I failed miserably at that when they were younger!

Brigetta Schwaiger said...

FYI- The older kids do wipe their own bottoms : )

petiteblogger said...

Just remember, when your kids make it to the Super Bowl, they will look at the camera and, after they say they're going to Disney Land, they will say "Hi Mom!" (not Hi Dad or anyone else...)

2Shaye ♪♫ said...

Oh what a lovely post. That very last paragraph is a rich and meaty ending to what we so often feel each day. You write it so well!

I'm so excited to have found your blog. Hubby's out of town, so as soon as the kids are in bed I'm going to peruse your stuff again. Thanks!

~Shaye @ Miller Memories

Sandy said...

Brilliant! Do you feel better now? I do.

House Queen said...

OMG...my boys say that all the time!!!! They also do this: Example: Me: Stop hitting the floor so hard! Them: I'm just hammering a little...

I told them I should have named them JUST-in!!!!