Through My Boys' Eyes

Any parent out there knows that it is near impossible to keep a neat and tidy home 24/7. There are dishes to be washed, counters to wipe, clothes to wash (and not to mention the dreaded folding), bathrooms to clean, floors to clean and rooms to declutter (not sure if this is an accurate word as it has the red strike underneath it but I'm going with it).

However, I don't want to talk about the everyday housekeeping that needs to be done. I want to talk about the  messes creations that kids make when playing and creating things using their imaginations.

I see pieces of paper cluttering my floors.

My boys see paper folded in intricate aerodynamic folds to create the 

ultimate gliding paper airplane.

I see blankets, pillows and sofa cushions strewn and spread across my living room.

My boys see the most awesome, solid and strongest fort or castle to defeat the dragons and bad guys.

I see pillows dotting my hallway (cleaning my floors).

My boys see the hot, red lava and the only way safely across to their destination 

is by jumping on the "stones".

I see a huge puddle of water on my bathroom floor after a bath.

My boys just had an epic sea adventure that will rival 10,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

I see boxes, plastic containers and egg cartoons littering my deck.

My boys see the coolest city for their green army men. 

Everywhere I go in my home, I see some clutter, some mess, something that exasperates me but my boys see something more. They see beyond the clutter, beyond the mess... they see the many different ways a regular everyday item can be used and purposed into a plaything for them.

What this has taught me (and will continue to teach me) is when there are children playing and there is a "mess", it's okay. They are using their imagination. They are creating an amazing world for themselves where they play, learn and explore. They are developing their minds and preparing themselves (unbeknownst to them) for their future. I will continue to let them learn and explore and develop. I will also teach them that it's okay to do all these things however they also have to learn to clean up after themselves. Because let's face it, a clean and tidy place is way more fun to mess up than an already untidy place. :-) A clean canvas, if you will.