Best Idea I've ever Had

I have to brag a little. This is seriously genius mothering stuff. It's only taken me seven years to figure this particular trick out.

I've read all the parenting advice about how important it is to give your kids jobs/chores around the house. They learn responsibility, gain pride in their work, feel like an important part of the household day to day stuff. I know, this is nothing new. But did you know, it could make your life....easier?

Really! For the longest time I thought my kids were too young to truly help around the house. Yes, they are required to have a "clean" room if they want to play on the computer/wii/ipad etc. but I was never overwhelmed by their cleaning talent. So I figured if I really got them involved in the weekly cleaning process, I would end up cleaning up after THEM when it was all said and done. Boy, was I wrong!

With a little bit of instruction and very specific small jobs (not "clean the bathroom" more like, "wipe down the sinks"), my two oldest and I got done a weeks worth of house cleaning in ONE morning. Seriously. And it was...fun? I know, that sounds crazy. But they felt accomplished and proud, made some extra cash (fifty cents per job), and I got to focus on the more adult tasks, like emptying the dishwasher and so forth. The baby followed us around with a dust cloth and felt like she was an integral part of the process, too.

So what did we get accomplished? Jackson, the love of my life, did my very least favorite jobs. He vacummed ALL of the stairs in the house (two sets!) and scrubbed. the. toilets. I love him. He also vacummed the basement, helped pick up the baby's room, and dusted the first floor.

Look how he replaced the pictures after dusting! "They're in order by age now, mom."



Macy, my sweet girl, was so diligent. She watered my plants, wiped down the chairs, wiped down the baseboards, and cleaned the bathroom sinks. My favorite was how she arranged the sinks after she wiped them down.

So orderly and symmetrical!


So now, my friends, it's off to the pool!

Whew.

First open water swim of the season: done. Almost didn't do it, though. Patrick and I took the kids to the lake near our house last evening. I bought the kids new pails and shovels to keep them happy in the sand while pDowney and I took turns swimming the 500 meters swim course. I forgot how cute it is to watch a toddler discover walking on sand for the first time. Ellis had fun getting messy but was slightly stressed out by the terrain.

So it was decided that I would go first. I waded into the water. It wasn't too cold, so that was a plus. Immediately, I was overwhelmed by the greenery. I stood for another ten minutes thinking about it, and then turned around and walked out. At that moment in time, I was done with triathlons forever and ever. F this. I told Patrick to go first, hiding tears behind my goggles. He shrugged and mumbled something about how it's probably better once you get further out. I told him he had no idea, secretly hoping he would get tangled in an especially long branch and would have to thrash his way free.

He swam for quite a bit, while I chatted with my mini cheering section. My son put it in perspective for me when he pointed out that the plants couldn't hurt me because they don't have mouths (like the fish, for instance). My middle daughter's face is what convinced me to try again, though. I ask her multiple times a day to do things that she is obviously anxious about (taste vegetables, flush the toilet, talk to her teachers, etc.). How is it fair for me to give up on something when I push her so hard?

So, I swallowed my fear (and pretended I had just taken a swallow of Jack Daniels), and tried again. I was still super anxious for about the first 100 meters, swimmming half of it with my head above water, but once I calmed my breath down, I actually felt....good. I was angry at myself for wasting time during the first 100 meters with my head out of the water.

There were even moments in the lake that I, dare I say it, enjoyed myself. The sun was low in the sky, so ever time my head turned to the west, I could see the light filter through the green water. It shined like my favorite shade of green, and was kind of calming.

Technorati Tags: .

There's a Flock of Butterflies in my Gut

It's early Monday morning. I am t-minus 12 days and counting until Tinman.

I have NOT been in a lake yet. My anxiety level is so high that I'm slightly dizzy. Kill Creek Lake opens tonight for open water swim, so Patrick and I are going to try and take turns swimming the course there. I feel physically stronger than ever, but it's my brain that's going to get me.

It's interesting because I've yet to find a swimmer with the exact fear as me. One of my friends was unsettled by the crowd of people in the water at the start. Another good friend new to the triathlon business was surprised by the waves in her face the first time she swam outdoors. Me, I just have an irrational fear of underwater plant life. Sigh.

This is a picture of Hubs and I making out on the beach. As you can see, Hubs just got off work from his job as a police officer slash candy striper. The seaweed monster has arrived to exact it's revenge on all newbie triathletes.



Speaking of SuperHubs, he has already managed to qualify and earn a free entry into a national race in Iowa this year. It's a pretty sweet way to start the season after a year off.

On the home front, my goal is to take the kiddos to do something fun once a week this summer. This is besides swimming, of course. Last week we spent the afternoon at the zoo. I was a little nervous about the walking. This is the first summer I've only brought a single stroller. Macy tended to get tired and whiny last year and still needed a place to sit halfway through most trips. She did super well this year and we all had fabulous time. I'm almost considering a zoo pass for the summer because this trip went so well. This week? Powell gardens.

I'm also challenging myself in the kitchen this month. My trusty meal planning site, e-Mealz, has added a new menu option. Clean Eating! Which means more vegetables and even less kid-friendly ingredients. So far it's not a total bust. I'm really enjoying the recipes, and the rest of the family is enjoying about fifty percent of what I make. The nice thing about e-mealz, is that I'm free to switch back to my original plan (low fat family plan), after a month, free of charge. If you haven't checked out e-mealz yet, I suggest you take a peek. The simplicity of it is what drew me in.

Well, I'm off to complete my grocery shopping for the week, all three kids in tow. I'm seriously considering waking up while it's still dark out to complete my shopping before Patrick leaves for work. The loss of sleep would almost be worth the saved sanity.