For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for September 15, 2013

Good answer

Got that in one.

Don’t worry, Elly, a day will come when you won’t have any little shoes and pants and socks laying around — and you’ll wish they were there.

So very true

I raised 6 kiddoes myself and, most of the time, the living room floor couldn’t be seen under all the lego, GI Joes soldiers and equipment, cardboard box houses and Barbie doll clothes. Now my kids are grown and scattered and I barely see them and they’re long long past the age when these things pleased them. Ellie should enjoy these days while they’re happening. They are too soon over and become nothing but a memory.

The empty nest hurts, big time.

the empty nest didn’t hurt as much as the empty arms did as they grew, then along came the grandbabies and I got to hug and hold again. Now for the most part they are also grown and no longer have much use for granny.

Elly ought to train them to pick up after themselves, and John ought to help. It should never be left to one person to do everything. You don’t need kids to have a messy house, sometimes all you need is a husband and 4 cats! LOL

P2: Precedent has been set. Ever train a pet?

Wise words from a little girl.

From the mouths of babes comes-babble.

I hate that Elly is being chastised for merely wanting her family to clean up after themselves. That is the bare minimum, not exactly a burden or above & beyond the call of duty to pick up after yourself. When I was a child, anything I didn’t pick up was thrown out — so I learned quickly to pick up after myself. No-one cleaned up after me & I don’t allow messes in my house. I’d rather an empty house than a messy one! I don’t tolerate being made to act like a servant & clean up other people’s messes.

she has an empty look on her face

Troll.

It’s not the mess they miss, it’s the people who make the mess they miss.

When I find two socks together, in the same place, I compliment the seven-year-old on keeping them together. Just bought her (and me) net bags to put our socks in. The washer/dryer make them gnarly, but at least they’re matched.

From the mouths of babes.

Reminds me of a saying I saw on Facebook, “If I had no kids, my house would be clean, my wallet would be full, but my heart would be empty!!”

M2MM: “Turn around and she’s a young mom with babes of her own” – Malvina Reynolds

Dad taught us to clean up our own messes. “You make a mess, you clean it up. You take it out, you put it away”…..we did it, because we knew at the time we would get spanked it if we disobeyed!

Lizzy said a mouthful!

From the mouth of babes