Imagine this is your living room.  Welcome to my home.

You know what happens when you come up with the brilliant plan to wait 5 years into your marriage before having kids? You get used to living in an adult house. I mean, as adult as one can be when you’re in the early to mid twenties range. Of course, I don’t mean owning nice things, unless you count the electronic gadgets. It’s really more or less an adult’s ability to respect space and quirks. You know, quirks like it’s not a good idea to speak or ask me questions in the morning unless I’ve been up an hour prior. That one was pretty obvious early on in the relationship. The bigger problem – I’m not usually one to get up an hour before anyone. But as adults, we my husband soldiered on.

You know who is clueless about your need for space and respect for your quirks? Kids, that’s who. I won’t even go into the questions that are fired at me before I have a chance to open my eyes. The same amazing offspring that bring you so much joy and laughter has literally no idea what you mean by space. I know, I was shocked to figure this out, too! You could say I’m a bit slow for realizing this just now, but I’ve never been at home full-time. There’s this whole other life that occurs when kids are free to roam the house during the weekday hours of noon to 6 pm. Who knew? When you work in an office, weekends are filled with errands and activities. Trying your best to catch up on zoo and museum trips, sporting events or just trying to refill the fridge for the week ahead. Not a lot of time spent at home, so your home stays relatively easy to put back together.

I’ve noticed lately that I find myself in a place where “my spaces” are more than shared with a 6-year-old and a 1-year-old. It’s mostly a take over. Snacks, the tv, the couch, the floor, clothing, accessories are being hijacked on a daily basis. Call it selfish, but in order for this to work in everyone’s best interest, momma needs a few square feet to call her own. These are my options as I see them….

1. I can tell the kids it’s time they struck out on their own. It’s never too soon to learn what the real world has to teach us, right?
2. Tell them playing is overrated, as is creativity. Let’s just sit in front of the tv and do nothing. SO much better.
3. We can buy a HUGE house. One that we can’t afford and preferably has an east and west wing and a playroom. Oh, and also comes with a cleaning lady because I can’t be bothered to clean more than my current 1500 sq feet of space. And some might argue that I don’t even do that well.
4. We can build on to our tiny house, which will of course cost us more than it’s worth and make me wish we had just bought a different house.
5. Get rid of all toys. Let’s get back to basics y’all. Kids these days are so spoiled and have too many choices any way. Am I right?!?
6. I can go on one of those crazy let’s reorganize the entire house because I need to create space that is their space and my space. Together but separate, right? All about compromise.

Let’s just say in the interest of letting kids be kids and achieving some semblance of my own space, I rearrange half of the living room.

My Space

Their Space – so much space to destroy and yet still be within arms reach of mommy and the tv.  Priorities.

I feel so much better, already. Now I just need to sort out how to help my daughter’s room look more like a room and less like a bomb went off. What is there in life if not a good challege?