Pick up your toys!

Growing up we didn't have nearly as many toys as my children have now, but we still had enough to drive my mother crazy. A couple of things that I remember most about our toys were if it was cleaning time and we didn't pick them up fast enough they ended up in the trash and the other was (I'm laughing hysterically just thinking about it) how mad mom would get when she would step on one of those little tiny lego pieces. You see, we  used to build forts with the couch cushions and then precede to throw legos at each other in what we called Lego Wars, and at the end of the fight there would always be that one lego left behind. For those of you who have never stepped on a lego, or something equally small and hard, consider yourself lucky, because it hurts like you wouldn't believe.

Now that my children are getting older and are acquiring more toys of all shapes and sizes, legos included, I find myself tripping over things left and right. It's almost like a conspiracy, my kids plotting against me for all the times I take away their toys or put them in time out. I've stepped on legos and had to bite my tongue to keep from saying something highly inappropriate, and then I rightfully turn into evil mommy, making everyone cry as they pick up toys. I realize that it is an up hill battle with a five and two year old, but one I attempt once or more a day. I feel like Sisyphus from Greek mythology who was made to push the rock up the hill in Hades and as soon as he would get to the top it would roll back down again. As soon as I get one room clean they are making a mess of another. And if Bryan had his way he would never make them pick up because he has that mentality of why pick up if they just put it back on the floor?

Then there are the nights that the toys don't get picked up and it happens to be on those nights that I have to venture out of my room in the middle of the night, and the night lights that are throughout the house fail to illuminate all of the obstacles in my path. So, despite my efforts to go quietly about my midnight task, I find myself adding to the banging, clanging and singing of toys left out with muffled curses as I try to keep from falling. With all of this you would think that we would stop buying so many toys, but of curse that's not the case. The best part is when the kids are running around and trip over or step on a toy and hurt themselves and run to me crying. And as I try to keep from laughing I simply say, "I know that must have hurt and that is why we pick up our toys." And another point goes to mommy for the reasons we pick up toys.