You need to pick up your room...

            As I walked into Benji’s bedroom tonight, it appeared as if a tornado had preceded me. I have never claimed to be a great housekeeper and it is not uncommon to witness my house in disarray, but what I saw in Ben’s room was much, much more than a few toys out of place. I really should have taken a picture, but I was instantly transformed into cleaning mode, and Adam was at my side…and Ben mostly watched us. I did, however, make him put his books away that were scattered all over the floor. Along with the books, there was an entire dresser drawer full of clothes, play dough along with 356 play dough accessories, preschool workbooks, blankets, ripped up board game boxes with the contents scattered everywhere, a batman mask along with several other super hero costumes, action figures all over the bed,  and a ripped up Christmas gift bag of which the origin I don’t know since we’re currently nearing February. My description does not necessarily give a good picture of what the floor of this bedroom looked like, but trust me…it was definitely a fire hazard. After a few minutes of intensive organizing the room was livable, still not perfection, but livable. I began to lecture Benji on keeping his room neat and picked up, still he sat on the sidelines and watched us…I assumed that everything I was saying had gone in one ear and right out the other. Our conversation was as follows:

Me: “Ben, you can’t leave your room a mess every time you come up here to play.”

Ben: “Awwww..”

Me: “It’s been a mess for too long, you need to pick up your room when you get toys out. These books need to be put away before any tv is turned on tonight.”

Ben: “Awww…”

Me: “PICK UP YOUR BOOKS.”

Ben: “Oookay.”

Me: “What happened in here anyway?  This is ridiculous.”

Ben: (throwing his hands down in disgust) “Well, I started to turn into the Hulk.”

            And with that, I laughed. Just when I begin to think that my child needs to have more of an imagination, he throws something out there that is just amazing! I told Benji that although that was probably the best excuse that he had ever given me, and my favorite of all time, he still had to clean up. Adam informed Ben that Hulk cleans up his room, Ben disagreed of course. So, I’ve learned a few things from this… first of all, Benji will not be allowed to wear his Hulk costume or mask while unsupervised in his bedroom….ever again! And secondly, I learned that he’s going to be an excellent excuse maker as he grows up, but at least I got a good laugh out of this one! The teenage excuses make me nervous, but I have a few years before I really have to worry about that.