Mr. Clean

Everett loves to put things away. He knows where every item he owns goes and is always very good about cleaning up after himself (amazingly, often without even being asked). He also knows where many of the items go that belong to Joel and me, and he likes to put those away, too.

I didn't realize how much he liked putting things in their place until today. I was cleaning the bathroom with Everett and whenever I moved something he would get it and happily put it back where it was (whether I wanted him to or not!). We have kept our roll of toilet paper up on the counter for some time now, because that way we know Everett can't reach it. Today I moved it when I was cleaning up there, and Everett grabbed it and very carefully placed it on the chrome holder--the place it is supposed to go but that I didn't think Everett had ever seen used that way.

Then, the moment I was finished cleaning the floor, Everett went into the hallway and hefted the scale back to its place, later turning to the bathmat to do the same.

Everett loves it when it is time to take out the garbage. He giggles all the way from the kitchen to the trash room on our complex floor, and then he giggles all the way back because he knows I will let him put the new trashbag in the can. He very carefully takes the bag from my hands, then shakes it a few times and neatly drapes it over the side. He always knows it doesn't look quite right after he works with it because at that point he turns to me as though to shrug and say, "Ok, Mom, I did my best. You'll have to take it from here."

He also loves putting his clothes in the hamper. He is very careful that no piece of clothing is hanging over the edge, and heaven forbid that even a milimeter is touching the top edges. He knows where his socks go in his drawer, and soon I will also teach him where his shirts and pants go.

Brooms are almost as exciting to him as a basketball is, and windex will send him over the moon, especially because it means he gets to have a paper towel, too. He loves rags when it means he gets to wipe up spills, and he sees some sort of magic in doing the laundry.





I have to admit, I am enjoying this phase whole-heartedly. How often will it be that my children are this happy to clean up after themselves? And, when will this wear off?





That, my friends, is the question. When, indeed. I guess I'd better enjoy this while I can.