I'm In Control, Freak

 *This is just my personal experience as a parent, I am in no way a professional, just a mom sharing her story. *

I feel as though I have become something of a control freak, just since becoming a mother. I am very particular with the way my children are raised. I do not allow juice or excessive sugar. I limit screen time. You get the picture. Kinda strict, a little bit not. My main struggles as of late, are that I get so frustrated when my house is messy. We have company coming and going frequently, so it is important to me to have a tidy home. Most of my visitors say they do not care how messy my house is, but I very much do care. I literally have had a panic attack over toys getting put away in the wrong place. Currently there is laundry on the floor (mostly stray socks), cheese wrappers, clothes hangers, and a plethora of toys. You'd think Mel, why not just clean it up? Well if I just constantly clean everything up I'd be cleaning all day. My kids are like a tornado. Why not clean up at night? Because my 4yo has a responsibility to tidy her mess before bed everyday. That being said, it never gets done to my liking. If I were to organize her toys it would spiral into me dumping and reorganizing everything in the house. You see, the cheese wrappers in the garbage, but then I'd realize the trash is full so I'd take it out. On my way out the door with the trash bag, I'd realize the porch is a mess, so I'd organize the shoes and coats. I'd find toys that the baby threw down the stairs and bring them up stairs. Upon returning upstairs I'd put all the toys away, not yet making it out the door with the garbage, I would find a spoon or cup and bring it to the kitchen. Then guess what, I'd decide it's time to start washing dishes, but some plates need to be scraped. I would have to put a new bag in the garbage can, those can be found in the laundry room, where I'd realize the dryer needs to be emptied, so I'd have to fold an already clean basket, to make room for the dry clothes. So I'd go downstairs to put away a load of clothes, and on my way down would find the garbage that still hasn't been taken out. I'd set the basket on the bed and take out the trash, and by this point I'm exhausted, all from throwing away some cheese wrappers. I'm also probably not doing the dishes or folding the laundry. Try again tomorrow. I suppose I do it to myself, but you should really give stay at home mother's credit. If you ever visit my home and criticize the mess you will never be invited over again, because I already feel embarrassed enough about the mess. As I am writing this, my kids ate a bunch of mini eggs and got chocolate all over my couch. Love that for me. Looks like the dishes will have to wait again.