After two weeks of fun together, after lunch today we gave our hugs and said good-bye to my grandson Drew, and he went back home to NH. We were sad, but looking forward to returning to "normal". It didn't take a rocket scientist to decide what to Tackle once he left, and so, Jr's Room became our Tackle-it-Tuesday project. Let me preface this by explaining that I do not do well with clutter/mess/disorganization. Don't get me wrong, I think kids need to play, and pretend, and use their imaginations. I also think they need periods of play without adults hovering over them, directing them, or even influencing them. But, I really don't think it's necessary for them to destroy their rooms in the process. Knowing, however, that Drew was leaving today, I was VERY lax with them - this however, was the result:

Absolute mayhem! I don't require "perfect" rooms that look like they appeared out of a magazine, but I do require that toys be put away after we use them, and don't let JR just dump all his toys out at once. It's pointless, and keeps them from really being able to focus on whatever it is they are playing with at the time. The big rule in this house, is that one game is taken out at a time. It drives me nuts when I see a kids room or play area with every game strewn about the floor. One of my OCD hang-ups perhaps, but that of course is a whole other post. Anyway, JR and I worked together to bring order to his bedroom, and let me tell you, the result was one of those Ahhhhhhhhh moments. I could once again breathe! I truly get anxiety when I'm forced to look at messes for too long. It's all good now, though, and we're back to "normal". Definetly worth the effort today!