Making the Punishment Fit the Crime

Last night Sean and I went out for an evening with friends.  We left a clean house with our kids watching TV and playing games. It was a lovely evening, a formal dinner we do annually with friends. We get all dressed up; eat good food; drink some cocktails, and enjoy great conversation.  The evening flew by, and we returned home around 12:30 AM.

Here is the scene when we walked in the door-

• Kids are all in the kitchen.
• A Bakkugan cartoon is playing on the desktop, loudly.
• The sink is full of dishes. (They ate dinner before we went out)  They had eaten pasta with cheese, ice cream, and only God knows what else.
• The table is full of dishes.
• There are dishes on the counter.
• Food is still out.
• Milk is out.

When we said, "Clean up and go to bed." The response was to beg a bit more time.  After all, the cartoon was over in 10 minutes.  Because we will never learn, we agreed, with a caveat.  They had to clean the kitchen.  That meant (and I spelled it out for them) the dishwasher loaded, and any other dishes washed.  Food put away.  The table cleaned off.  All dishes cleaned up, either in the dishwasher or washed.

Here is the scene to which we woke:

• Kids all out cold (we don't know what time they finally went to bed).
• Sink still full of dishes.
• Glasses on the table and the counter.
• Pots on the stove.
• A sticky table
• 1/2 a banana on the table.
• Bowls in the dishwasher right side up (not really helpful).
• There was probably more, but I can't place it.

By 10 AM two children were up.  Gavi actually asked me to make him pancakes.  I said no.  Keren made pancakes instead.  I woke Jesse, twice.  He finally got out of bed at 12:25 PM.  I had loaded the dishwasher, and washed dishes.  I needed to make some space for me to make myself breakfast.  But there had to be consequences.

Here is what the kids did today:

• Swept the house from top to bottom.
• Unloaded the dishwasher and drain rack.
• Collected books, games, etc. from all the rooms in the house and put them away.
• Cleaned three bathrooms- mirrors, counters, floors, toilets.
• Organized the den.
• Cleaned their rooms (mostly).
• Did some laundry.

The most amazing part- they did it without complaint.  Did they learn a lesson?  I think not, at least not a lasting one.  But if we do this again, and again, and again- it'll sink in.  In the meantime, we have a clean house, at least for today.