Learning By Example

Do as I say, not as I do - sometimes I feel like that is my motto.  I don't always set the best example for my kids, as much as I want to.

Particularly when it comes to keeping my house clean.

But you probably already knew that, right?

Right.

In our house, things that aren't used very often tend to stay where they land until we go on a cleaning spree...or until we decide it's some sort of safety hazard and move it.  Case in point:  when my husband got a replacement mirror for my car, the box in which it came sat on the third step coming up into our living room for a long time.  Like, weeks.  At least.

Another example:  a marker fell down the steps.  It sat there for a while.  I'm not sure how long, because after a while, you just don't tend to notice the clutter, at least not until it starts jumping out from behind corners and yelling BOO!

The other day, Craig was bringing the Imp into the house.  I was standing at the top of the steps watching them come in.  The Imp spotted the little marker and picked it up.  "Oh - what a good boy!" I called down to him.  "Thank you for bringing that up!"

The Imp, of course, completely ignored me.  He looked at the marker, then looked around.  Then he spotted the box.  He looked back and forth - marker, box.  And then - plop.  Marker in the box.  He beamed at me, then climbed on up the steps.

Maybe he's seen us shoving things into the closet one too many times.