I once read that the average child in America receives 70 new toys a year. SEVENTY!
It sounds outrageous, but the more I began to think about it, the more I realized that this may, in fact, be true. Averages are just that- averages, which means that some children get less and some get more. You can imagine different scenarios based on income levels, parenting styles, etc. that could result in such a high number.
Imagine birthdays and Christmases with lots of presents, Easter baskets, valentines, Halloween presents (yep, I’ve heard of those), not to mention the random new things throughout the year, kids’ meal toys, and toys bought with birthday money and allowances. The numbers add up quickly.
I don’t think my kids get that much in a year, as our holidays and birthdays generally stay pretty small, and we don’t spring for happy meals very often, however, a peek at their rooms beg to differ!
Several times a year, the kids and I have to go in and clear out! I hope it’s normal and my kids aren’t the only ones to accumulate so much junk, but how do they get so much stuff?! And if I step on one more lego or one more marble…
I write this because once again, their rooms are an unorganized mess, and it’s bad enough that I need to put it on my priority list for the next several days. I normally can only do one room a day, and since real life is still going on around us, I rarely can work on rooms on consecutive days.
Maybe I just want another mom to commiserate with me…maybe I want someone to tell me their kids are the same way…maybe I need to get off the computer and pick a room with which to start…
No, you're not alone... same here :( Seems like by the time I get around all the rooms, the first ones need my attention again. It's an endless battle.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I have found helpful is to remove as many toys and books from the BEDrooms as possible. It's harder to hoard and make messes right under my eyes! Also, we have a baby gate in the hallway that we can close when we want to keep the little ones from sneaking back there and making messes during busy times like school work, cooking, etc.