Toothpaste Wars

Do you have a toothpaste war at your house?

This is what our hall bathroom looks like each evening and each morning after the kids brush their teeth.Maybe this doesn't look too bad, and I try not to complain - at least the germs from the toothbrushes aren't touching each other. Oddly enough, the only person that gets his toothbrush in the cup every day is Tavis (that is beyond odd), but notice he puts his brush in the cup upside down and that really grosses me out, but I can't complain because he is actually putting it where it goes.

If you could look closer there is toothpaste on the front cabinet door, toothpaste splattered on the mirror, sometimes it ends up on the floor and sometimes on the pictures on the opposite wall.

And how hard is it to squeeze a toothpaste tub I ask you?I confess, I'm not really good at getting my kids to really clean. I have failed in this department and have failed their future households. Mostly, because it is easier, takes less time and gets done right if I just do it myself. My kids don't do nothing; they make their beds, pick up their toys, empty the dishwasher, take the garbage out, clean up after dinner, some are learning laundry and oddly enough, I'm having to teach them how to put things on a hanger (that is a whole other post).

So, last weekend, I had had enough of cleaning. I told them that each Saturday they would learn a different task. I had Capps dusting every piece of wood furniture he could find. Mollee was scrubbing counters and placemats and sweeping all the hardwood. Daegan was picking up and vacuuming, along with laundry shifting. And Tavis was cleaning the bathrooms. I showed him how to wipe up the counter, cabinet doors and floor and had him cleaning mirrors.

I felt like I had made some progress when they were brushing their teeth that night and someone made a mess and I heard Tavis say, "Hey, I just cleaned off the counter, be careful!"