When you hear yourself screaming "don't you drop ONE crumb on that floor, I just washed it!" and begin to think - how did this become my priority?? Where is the line between being house proud and having a touch of OCD?
I believe that once your main job is looking after the house along with kid wrangling, domestic duties take on a new level of importance. I mean, it's not like you have finished a report and you can give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done because, it is done. As in O.V.E.R. The really exciting part about housework is that you get to enjoy it again and again. It begins to feel like you have just finished the housework, admired your nice clean floors and you're yelling at someone for dragging dirt into the house or let's be honest here, just walking on the floors.
The thing is, when your main job title is "stay at home mum" or "home maker", I know some people prefer the title "Domestic Goddess" (talk about piling the pressure on to live up to that one!!) it's hard not to think you are being judged on how well your house is kept. From an outsiders point of view, you don't have a real (read, paid) job, you are AT home. What the hell are you doing if your house looks like members of some gang have broken into it and turned it upside down looking for your valuables??
I do not find any pleasure in doing the housework. The only real joy I get out of it is seeing my house look clean and lovely and that's only while the kids are still in bed! I mean once you start the day, how do you stop seeing mess - even when it is small and inconsequential. Sorry to stereotype but I think perhaps it's a man-thing, they call it "Domestic Blindness". The ability to leave the morning dishes in the sink and not worry about it until dinner, or open a fresh packet of biscuits and put them back into the cupboard in the open pack, or leave a million papers sitting on the kitchen bench to "go though later" (which never comes). It doesn't seems to bother those blessed with domestic blindness. Looking around and seeing all those things sitting there, making a mess - does my head in. I mentally add it to my "to do" list and then feel resentment that everyone else walked past it and didn't think it was important enough to take care of.
So my question is when looking after the house is your main role - how do you let it go? How do you not feel judged when a friend pops over for coffee and your floor is covered in crumbs and dishes are still sitting in the sink from that morning? Where do you cross the line from house proud to OCD???
I know it's not just me, please don't leave me hanging. Share your "house proud" or perhaps I should say "stir crazy" stories with me.
I'm off, I have now noticed a mark on the tiles where I mopped earlier and the water dried at different rates and has left a watermark, glaring at my acussingly in the shaft of sunlight coming through the kitchen window.... I'll have to go and sort that out...
ta ta,
Lee
I believe that once your main job is looking after the house along with kid wrangling, domestic duties take on a new level of importance. I mean, it's not like you have finished a report and you can give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done because, it is done. As in O.V.E.R. The really exciting part about housework is that you get to enjoy it again and again. It begins to feel like you have just finished the housework, admired your nice clean floors and you're yelling at someone for dragging dirt into the house or let's be honest here, just walking on the floors.
The thing is, when your main job title is "stay at home mum" or "home maker", I know some people prefer the title "Domestic Goddess" (talk about piling the pressure on to live up to that one!!) it's hard not to think you are being judged on how well your house is kept. From an outsiders point of view, you don't have a real (read, paid) job, you are AT home. What the hell are you doing if your house looks like members of some gang have broken into it and turned it upside down looking for your valuables??
I do not find any pleasure in doing the housework. The only real joy I get out of it is seeing my house look clean and lovely and that's only while the kids are still in bed! I mean once you start the day, how do you stop seeing mess - even when it is small and inconsequential. Sorry to stereotype but I think perhaps it's a man-thing, they call it "Domestic Blindness". The ability to leave the morning dishes in the sink and not worry about it until dinner, or open a fresh packet of biscuits and put them back into the cupboard in the open pack, or leave a million papers sitting on the kitchen bench to "go though later" (which never comes). It doesn't seems to bother those blessed with domestic blindness. Looking around and seeing all those things sitting there, making a mess - does my head in. I mentally add it to my "to do" list and then feel resentment that everyone else walked past it and didn't think it was important enough to take care of.
So my question is when looking after the house is your main role - how do you let it go? How do you not feel judged when a friend pops over for coffee and your floor is covered in crumbs and dishes are still sitting in the sink from that morning? Where do you cross the line from house proud to OCD???
I know it's not just me, please don't leave me hanging. Share your "house proud" or perhaps I should say "stir crazy" stories with me.
I'm off, I have now noticed a mark on the tiles where I mopped earlier and the water dried at different rates and has left a watermark, glaring at my acussingly in the shaft of sunlight coming through the kitchen window.... I'll have to go and sort that out...
ta ta,
Lee
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