A rant about how people live...
My 13 year old son has had some of his mates here both yesterday and today, mucking around, and having lots of fun. There have been a few things that have me exasberated with stuff they do. I'm referring to how mindlessly they make a mess!! Some examples;
We generally take shoes off and they remain in the entry area. So when my son arrived with his mates, they do the same. So far so good.
So they are inside with socks on. Later, they decide they will go out the back yard to do some archery. I go out to ensure they are all aware of risks and being safe. I see the boys are out there in their socks, walking on damp dirty ground. I tell them NOT to walk inside with socks. Next thing I see, they have traipsed through the house in their socks! Today, I give them all some pies for an afternoon snack, on disposable plates. They were outside, and I said they can throw the plates in the bin when they are finished. One of them then comes inside still holding and eating his half eaten pie without the plate.
What gets me is that what I believe to be basic principles of preventing a mess from happening seem to be totally foreign to these kids. Now I'm all for them being kids and having fun. I even winked at them throwing the lounge cushions around a bit when playing nerf wars. But they just seem to have no concept that property is to be respected, and mess doesn't just happen, it is CAUSED.
Now am I being too precious? Really... I often go to houses to clean carpets where people make all sorts of excuses about kids being out of control and carpets being a mess. Well WHO is responsible for how they learn to treat property? It seems to me that preventative measures are concepts that are not modeled or taught in many cases!
With my boys, it has always been understood that if they are eating or doing anything messy, they stay put til they finish and wash hands before going on to other things. Also that they think about what they are doing and the impact they have. So they won't walk around with a sticky icecream in someones' place or whatever. This isn't a matter of being anal or over precious about stuff. Its basic common sense! (or izzit)?
Ash.
Agree with you 100%! It's all to do with how you grow up and what the rules were. We were always taught, if we eat, clean up. Wipe the bench, put the vegemite, marg etc back where they belong and at least rinse your plate and not leave it on the table.
I hate it when people walk around and eat, with a plate or not. It's soooo irritating. I hate noisy eaters who bash the spoon down into their bowl and make a percussion musical band out of it.
I don't think what you are asking is unreasonable and what's with the socks in the house after being on the dirt?
Depends how much mess they've made, if it was anything that caused damaged, like mud on your carpets, i would be very cranky indeed. Thrown cushions and pie crumbs aren't really a big deal, but nor should you have to clean up after him. I would give him a dust buster and let him clean up after his guests.
Kids aren't the cleanest little people
But i agree, what's with the soggy socks?
My almost 12-year old DS, is pretty good about similar things. He knows my rules & generally complies, whether it's to do with behaviour, eating, playing, keeping his room tidy, etc Perfect by no means but an OK kid.
But recently I have had 3 of his friends over on several different occasions & .............I just don't recognise him
A Jekyll & Hyde scenario
He & his mates go psycho!!!!. It's as though someone has turned on a MANIC switch & they're off........
So is it the age or what ???
I know what you mean Southies. Its to be expected that they bounce off each other and get a bit wild with their mates. But it seems to me that they have no idea. Some kids are allowed to wander around with food & drinks and stuff, and have no concept of caring about the effect they have.
Its not that they made much of a mess. They didn't. But our timber floors certainly were sandy and needed a good sweep afterwards. The carpets are pretty fine. If sand or mud tracks in, just allow it to dry and give it a good vacuum. The thing is, continuing to live without regard for the home environment will make a much greater burden of cleaning to maintain it. My policy is, PREVENTION is the key. I'm lazy when it comes to cleaning. I avoid it if I can!
Ash.
Adults are just as bad. I've got laminate flooring in my entry (the type where the surface is actually a proper wood laminate not vinyl) and outside the front door is decking. I ask people to take their shoes off before they come inside. Now logic would dictate that a person would take their shoes off on the decking and leave them outside but... Practically every person walks into the entrance and takes their shoes off in the hall thus leaving a mess. It doesnt matter how many times I ask or clarify that they are making a mess, the same people do it every time.
My Border used to leave his shoes outside but then walk around the garage in his socks and walk back in leaving dusty footprints everywhere - the solution to that problem was no more border...
The problem with 'common sense' is that it's not very common at all... doesn't matter how old a person is