My Published Writing - Parenting

Picture Perfect Cleaning

Published October/November 1997 in Manic Moms

        My strategy for keeping the house relatively uncluttered is simple. I leave my Minolta® Freedom Zoom camera on the kitchen counter, or otherwise prominently displayed. It works every time. The kids see the camera and they pick up their toys, sweaters, and take their dirty dishes to the sink after meals.

Now you may wonder how a camera can get my kids in motion. Well, it all started one Saturday afternoon with a threat. After lunch the kitchen table looked like a huge food fight had erupted during the noon hour. There were half eaten sandwiches, yogurt containers, cupcake papers, and crumbs scattered on the table, and you should have seen the floor. It looked like half of lunch had missed their mouths and landed on the vinyl. No wonder kids are always hungry, most of the food doesn't reach their mouths. All this mess from just two kids.

"I'd like a little help cleaning off the table," I called to the girls as they played in their bedrooms, just down the hall. "You both made a big mess, and I think you should help clean it up.

"Yeah, Mom, in a minute," called out the oldest culprit, then seven years old. I'd heard that before. In the meantime, I picked up the now crumby shoes that had been discarded under the table, wondering why is it that food always tastes better to kids when they eat it barefoot. I hunted down the vacuum to finish the under table task.

"Come on girls, I'd appreciate your help carrying your dishes to the counter," I called, in slightly higher tones. The only response I received was giggling from my five year old's bedroom. It was then that I got the inspiration for the camera.

I walked down the hall and stuck my head in Kristi's bedroom. "If you don't come out to help me clean up the table, I'll take a picture of your mess and save it," I declared. The parental threat. Follow-through was imminent. I don't believe in making promises unless I plan to keep them.

"Yeah, right, Mom," was the somewhat bewildered response. I'd never done it before. Why would I take pictures of their messiness now? Clearly, they didn't believe it.

The next sound heard through the house was the echo of the automatic camera recording the evidence for all time. The oldest quickly responded.

"Mom, what in the world are you doing?" she asked.

"Taking pictures," I replied nonchalantly, as I stood atop our kitchen bench to get a better view, flashing away.

"I can't believe you're taking pictures...of our garbage." she continued. "Don't you need our permission or something to do that? It is OUR garbage after all."

"Hey if you guys can make a mess, I can take a picture of it to remember you by," I replied.

"Mom, you're kinda strange," she said shaking her head. I'll admit to that.

And then it happened, without a further word, she began to clean her dishes and scraps from the table. I was astounded. Most of my attempts at creative parenting don't get such immediate reactions, but this time it worked. It was then that I knew I had a solution to keeping the house clean. Leave the camera out. It's as easy as that. The girls now realize that I will take pictures of their disorder, and it gets action.

Of course, now that the oldest is nearly nine, I'm waiting for the day that she pulls out her 110 flash camera and begins taking pictures of my writing table on a bad day. Ah, excuse me while I straighten up some of these notes and folders. See, this camera thing really works.

Copyright 1997 Susan M. Lang

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