Tuesday, January 23, 2007

MEGA FUN

Those of you who have read my previous posts know that I hate housework, so you are probably wondering what I have to say about it being fun. I have to be honest, I am borrowing from Karen Scalf Linamen.
Karen Scalf Linamen is one of my very favorite authors. For those of you unfamiliar with her work, she has written such masterpieces as “I’m not suffering from insanity, I’m enjoying every minute of it,” “Sometimes I wake up Grumpy, and sometimes I let him sleep,” and “Hand over the chocolate and no one gets hurt.”
In her book “Harried with Children,” Linamen discusses many myths and mysteries of motherhood. In one chapter about housework she tries to provide motivation to homemakers, who like me have a lack of inspiration to do housework. Her reasons to do house are as follows (with my thoughts on then following)

Mental Space - It’s easier to think when there is no clutter. I know this to be true, although clutter is hardly the first distraction for me.

Exercise - Maybe if I can convince myself of this it will make me more eager to clean.

Gratitude - It would be nice if our families were grateful for our cleaning. Unfortunately, I think housework is taken for granted as long as it stays done. But really the point is that we should be grateful for the housework that needs to be done, because it is a sign of prosperity. I will try!

Accomplishment - Housework gives us a sense of accomplishment. Some types of housework are better about this than others, namely the ones that stay done for more than five minutes.

Family - Our family will know they are nurtured, loved and cared for. “Isn’t it enough that I tell them they are nurtured even as I announce that dinner will be served ten minutes before bedtime or as soon as I can find the can opener, whichever comes first?” she writes.

U deserve it - I deserve a clean house?

Nobody Else is Going to do it - Amen to that!

She also offers some great practical suggestions. Like when you are cleaning a room, place all the things that don’t belong in that room in a basket, that way you don’t have to run back and forth across the house several times. This has revolutionized housework for me. For instance, my house is now full of laundry baskets containing completely random items that I still haven’t gotten around to putting away.

Anyway, if you are experiencing a housework slump, like me. I highly suggest this book. Linamen’s books are always full of great anecdotes, which generally provide lots of laughs.

On a side note, all I have been able to think today is "Lance, the turtle, Aloha Lance! Lance the turtle, Dance, Dance, Dance!" Let me know if that's stuck in your head too now! Yay, Veggie Tales!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have a few comments to add to your post on Mega Fun Housework.

1. Don't worry- you are not alone... I also hate housework.

2. I think I will read that book you recommend- it will further delay my actually DOING any housework.

3. If you are looking for an excellent debate about Veggie Tales- check out Monica's blog comments from a few posts ago. I agree with you.... Veggie Tales are awesome.

4. I particularly hate dusting. Which is why there is dust an inch thick in my house. I don't know why that is its own number.... I was just contemplating which chore I dislike the most, and that's it- dusting.

Good blog, Dave's sister. As a mother of three little demons myself, I approve!

M.

roerte said...

As I type this, I am sitting in the middle of about three separate piles of paper that were sorted a few days ago and need to be sorted through again very soon.

I've successfully made it through sorting junk piles into other junk piles, and, occasionally, trash piles that actually go into the trash.

It's all good. =)

Kathy said...

I've only read "I'm not suffering from insainity..." but it was a great book. Some day I should check and see if the others are at the library. Did you ever read Phil Callaway's "I used to have answers now I have kids" ? I thought it a funny book and I only have siblings.

Also, I have to ask, is the line about "Lance, the turtle" one of the songs on the VeggieTales DDD? I don't know if I've heard it before.

I also have a tendancy to periodically rearrange the clutter until it gets too overwhelming and then I break down and throw some small percentage of it away.

Shae said...

"Lance the Turtle" is not on DDD. It's from "Gideon, Tuba Warrior" They do "Ukelele Karaoke with Bob" for the silly song. It's a hoot.

M., I have read that particular conversation from Monica's blog. THe Veggie Tales debate has come up often. By the way, it was my children who got the Noah's Ark playset. I try not to argue these things with Dave and Monica, but I can't help but hope they soften a little when they have their own little ones.

Have we met? At the bridal shower and/or the wedding, maybe? My Abigail was the little flower girl if that helps.

Kathy said...

Ah, I haven't seen "Tuba Warrior" yet, so that explains my confusion. I'll have to do that at some point.