With three kids how do you keep your house clean?

Question

I have a six year old, four year old, and a 9 month old. My boyfriend does not believe in throwing or giving toys away, bad childhood, but there room is overflowing with toys. My house is always messy. A big problem for me, I can not stand it. I can sit on the computer with my son without crying, but the second I leave him alone he screams. I have to hold him almost all day.

I clean what I can when he is asleep but the girls run in there and wake him up and it starts all over. I can not run the vacuum or anything for fear of waking him up. What can I do???

Answer 1

Time for Mom to put her foot down. At least two times a week, you take those babies to a daycare or a person you trust and give yourself time to catch up on Mommy time. While your BF is away. clean the house and toss all the out grown and broken toys. BF is going to have to man up. He can also give you a hand around there, maybe his work day finishes after 8 hours but you are on duty 24/7. Once again Mom, Lay Dow The Law. As for the crying baby...You have spoiled your son by picking him up everytime he cries. Why does he do it? Because it works. Try and letting him cry with a door closed once in a while.

Answer 2

Don't just leave your baby to cry. Attending to a babies needs and going to them when they cry is not spoiling.

You have two other older children.

Between a 6yr old and a 4 yr old, they can dance and play long enough to entertain your 9 month old to get some work done.

For other times try a baby carrier, ring slings can be worn on the hip.

http://www.slingsbysarah.com/Slings%20by...

As for the toys,..

Stop buying them?

The ones you want to get rid of,..List them for free on craigslist, someone can pick them up when your boy friend is at work.

If its that many toys to where the room is 'overflowing' your boyfriend will not notice.

Try getting bins, so the toys can be put away, start now, even a 9 month old can 'help'

Answer 3

When you calm down & get happy your baby will pick up on your energy & calm down...I would take one room at a time & clean it up & make is simple so you have the least amount of cleaning. I would have an appointed time to vacuum. Or get your b/f to vacuum while you are with the baby. If you set up a date such as Wednesday at 6 P.M then everyone can be awake & he can vacuum while you keep an I on the kids...I would get a huge box & throw all the toys in this box. Figure out how much room you have for the toys. Let the girls pick their 3 favorite or whatever you have space for. See what you use for the baby & if you can get a shelf somewhere make 3 columns. If you can take pictures of the toys tape them on the shelf so they know where each toy belongs. They will be allowed to play with only one toy at a time & they must put it back when finished. I would stop at every 1/2 an hour & make sure they haven't left a toy on the floor & say time to clean or ring a bell. So if they wondered off the bell rings & they have to clean up the toy. As far as b/f you have to take over here cauese this is causing stress & not good for anyone. Call Salvation Army & have them pick up the box of extras or drop it off. Some area churchs might even have someone come out to pick it up for you so call around...You have to just get rid of the box yourself. My husband holds on to stuff & I am a professional organizer & believe in honestly but I had a bag of bags from the grocery store he was holding on to. I just took the huge trash bag when he wasn't looking & threw them out. So just do what you can. You have to have a peaceful environment. You feel like crying & the baby crys. You feel good the baby will feel good.

Answer 4

The six and four yr old can help put toys away.  You need to make it fun.  Put on a Barney tape and sing the "clean up" song as they fill there own large laundry basket with the toys.  Tell them now they can take one toy but when they are finished it goes into the basket before another comes out.  As for the baby he has separation anxiety which is very common.   Since we are in the alternative medicine area why not use lavender oil, a drop rubbed into the forehead between the eyes.  This point called yin tang can calm.  Chamomile tea with agave or a small amount of sugar can also help calm the anxiety.  You will need to put him starting with a 5 min then keep adding 5 minutes everyday until he feel secure.

Answer 5

check out flylady.net

Answer 6

You son is going to cry as long as he knows that crying will make you come running.  You have to wean yourself off of holding him all the time.  Do it a little at a time, making sure that he knows you are close by, and let him cry for a bit, then comfort him.

You are in charge of all three kids- there are always consequences for actions, like the girls waking him up so the whole thing starts over and over.  Make sure they have time outs for bad behavior, don't reward bad behavior with attention.