Where do you think you fall along the continuum? Comments directed towards me like, "just embrace it" (referring to the sand at the beach) and "relax" from Brooklyn and Stephen, about lots of stuff, and comments like "don't sweat the small stuff" from my mom somehow suggest that my personality leans more toward the side of structure.
On the other hand, spontanaity feels fun most of the time, until the activity is over and it's time to go home and clean up...
So I did have a fun time finding google images of spontaneity. The picture above is called the spontaneous picnic dress. It looks pretty hilarious to me. The picture below is from the movie Enchanted. I love how "realistic" the curtain cut-outs are.
In summary, I pressed Stephen to choose one side of the continuum that he would rather live with. After much thought, and after trying to choose the middle, he went with the spontaneous side. Should I be surprised? No. Am I on that side of the spectrum? No. Should I be? Maybe I could give up some of my ground, but something inside of me totally functions well with organization and routine and predictability, but I don't think I'm over-the-top with it either...or am I?
The truth is, I totally admire things about both kinds of personalities. I know I should let myself be more open minded and spontaneous. However, I really envy those people who appear to really be "together" and have like zero clutter areas in their homes, or "a place for everything." The truth is, I really wish my house would be mostly clean most of the time on most days of the week. Then again, chasing this unrealistic ideal can really drive a person crazy! I'm curious to know what the readers think about this, or where people think they fall on the spectrum? P.S. Some of you I already know are dying to echo in with Brooklyn, Stephen, my mom, my sister, and most people that know me really well by telling me to just RELAX! But please, try not to be too harsh! :) I will try to blame some of the fault of my ultra-organization aspirations to my teaching background.
10 comments:
I think we all crave order, well most of us anyway. But one of my favourite sayings about motherhood is this, "Trying to clean house while children are growing is like trying to shovel snow while it is still snowing"
So. True.
So true!
maybe it is the teacher in us. I loved how organized my classroom was... every corner and shelf was in order, my home not so much... why couldn't I get it together there if I obviously had some sort of get it together skill.
Also, your first picture made my sigh a happy sigh and wish I could jump into that room and smell the basket liners, I knew they would smell good.
The second picture looked fun... but made me wince, I bet that water got all over that camera.
I'm with you! I bet if we were able to fully achieve the structure/organization our husbands would love it.
Now Desirae, no need to show off your laundry room and make us all jealous! :)
From school work procrastination to spur-of-the-moment wanderlust, I've always been on the spontaneous side. That said, if "spontaneous" is code for "chaotic," well, there's no fun in that. Now that I'm parenting a very schedule-dependant little man, I've come to embrace rigidity more than I ever have. (With mixed success...)
I guess it's the underlying structure that makes spontaneous deviations from it so enjoyable! Moderation in all things, right?
I agree with Jana. Moderation in all things! If you had no order in your life, spontaneity would not be any fun at all!
I have to agree with Amelia. I went crazy trying to keep a picked up house all the time. I gave up. But, when I do have time to do housework, I clean...like the bathrooms or mopping, etc. Things that the kids don't undo immediately. I only pick up once a day, and that is after the kids are in bed. I am amazed at how much cleaner my house is with less effort.
I'm not exactly sure where I fall. Somewhere in the middle. As much as I'd like to be organized, I'm not. And you would think that my house would be spotless with two adults living in it. Taber's the neat one. Everything that is his, has a home. I just havn't found the right home for some of my things.
I do remember my mom saying that she just tried to have us pick up right before dad got home. You'll have to ask her to see how well that worked.
I have always liked order, but I know that it takes alot of effort and most times that effort is better spent interacting with the children instead of the house. Since I have always worked in a hospital where cleanliness and order are required I found home to be quite a diffent environment where to have order everyone including me had to do their part. I grew up in a house of order because the ratio of adults to children was 3 to 2. It all comes down to people are more important than things and a clean house is nice, but happy children are more important. BADGER DAD
I was the slob and my sister the neatnic, but as an adult I had to force myself into some kind of order or drown. I did clean up before Ted got home because what was the point if no adult but me got to see the house clean before it was messed up again. Just simplifying helps then you aren't nagging as much. Don't expect the house or the kids (or your husband) to do the impossible. Just expect when you are in major project mode that things will not get cleaned until the project is done. Then it will be even better! Always sit down with your babies in front of a clean part of your house. Accept the cycle of life. It's weird for me now because I can put down something and it NEVER MOVES!
First of all, don't blame this problem of yours on the teaching profession. It has lingered in your system long before you taught 6th graders and even dates back to when you lived with some (one?). Just ask your childhood roommates. Desirae, would not (notice I learn quickly not to start off the question with 'why') structure and organization be tied DIRECTLY to punctuality? Because if one is either or both of these, I strongly believe being punctual on a consistent basis is a prerequisite. So I would submit that you are more spontaneous. At times we never know when or where you'll show up! At times I see you blatantly REFUSE to adhere to any time restraints and consider them quite oppressive :) Relaxed?!? I think you are relaxed! I'm sure that's just a word we learned from you every time we tell you we're going to be late or to hustle!:)
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