Parenthood is wild, isn't it? You really can't fully comprehend what it's like until you're in the midst of it. Despite what some social media accounts would have you believe, parenthood is never picture-perfect. No matter how hard we try to be organized and establish routines and rhythms, things tend to go awry. And cleaning with kids around is basically a fruitless effort.
The laundry is never done, someone always needs a snack after the kitchen has been cleaned for the night, socks never match, and there are literally always crumbs everywhere no matter how often you sweep and vacuum.
If you're also drowning in a sea of papers, crumbs, and half-used water cups like we are, check out these totally relatable tweets about the chaos of keeping anything clean with kids to see just what we mean.
You Never Know What You're Gonna Find
How many times as a mom have you found old, rotted, dried-out food in bizarre and unpredicatable places? Yeah, we thought so. No clue how long that pizza must have been there, but we've had similar experiences.
All the Inspiration
Yup, our kids totally watch shows and YouTube and then attempt to replicate them on repeat until something is broken or destroyed, and yes, we let them do it in the interest of letting them use their imaginations and move their bodies.
It's a Losing Battle
It feels exactly like that! Trying to keep up with the mess and chaos is a losing battle, every single time. You handle one issue, turn around, and there's something else to deal with. That's life!
The Early Years Are Impossible
When you have a baby and a toddler, there is absolutely no keeping up with everything. You only have two eyes and two arms, so something is gonna slip and it's probably gonna happen multiple times a day.
Let Them Play, They Said
When the kids are home all day and we're trying to avoid relying on screens too much, this is exactly what our living rooms look like. Every activity we suggest or set up creates more work for us, but we do it anyway, because it's good for the kids.
Laundry Is Endless
It's pretty manageable when you have just one baby, but as they get older, the clothes gets bigger, and then you have more kids, and before you know it, the mountain of laundry takes a week to fold and put away. Who has the time?!
How Many Times?!
Life with a toddler is flippin' hilarious. Seriously, all you can do is laugh, because if you get upset every time something like this happens, it would not be good for your productivity…or your mental health.
It's a Trade-Off
Letting kids occupy themselves while we get things done around the house is always a trade-off. They'll inevitably make a mess, and sometimes it's a bigger one than the one you were already cleaning up. The creativity may make you proud, though. Note that we said may.
You've Got Some Explaining to Do
Selective hearing is the most real when it comes to kids. They can hear the ice cream trucks blocks away, they can hear you unwrap that candy bar in the pantry, and they can always hear the theme music to their favorite YouTube channel, but they didn't hear you tell them to clean their room a dozen times.
Case in Point...
Exhibit #2…even a toddler in a high chair can make a serious mess when you turn your back for just a few minutes to get something done. At least they're safe in the chair, but yeah, that's gonna take more than a handful of wipes to clean up.
Precisely, This
When we saw this meme, we couldn't have agreed more. Even once your kids are a little older and they know how to clean up after themselves, it's the same. Maybe it gets better one day and maybe it's not all kids, but this is totally the truth.
No, It's Not Burglars
Anyone else have a little tornado? We certainly do. In fact, we have two. Those movie scenes when the couples arrive home to their house in disarray and they automatically assume they've been robbed… we no longer relate.
Just When You Think You're Done
It never fails. You clean the house, get the kids into bed, walk into the bathroom, and bam! Kiddo left their dirty, inside-out laundry right there in the middle of the floor. But why, tho?!
Not That Anyone Ever Asks
Honestly, no one really asks because the house is never all that tidy, but if they did, it would probably be for this very reason. Or, you know… all the times they roll and crawl around the floor for no apparent reason.
This About Sums It Up
Yes, we are insane. But we're insane because we love those little buggers so much. Eventually, they'll have to learn to clean up after themselves, and even then, we'll still feel the urge to do it ourselves no matter how much of a never-ending battle it is.
