Like Father, Like Daughter

I'm a lot like my Dad.  I've inherited some of his quirks (double, sometimes triple checking things like the house being locked up, the cars being locked up.  having to leave super early if I'm going somewhere new that I'm unfamiliar with, etc.)

I found myself doing something today that I vividly remember my Dad doing when I was growing up.  This is my pile after I was done sweeping.

This is EXACTLY what my Dad used to do when I was a kid.  He would sweep up the hallway and the kitchen area.  ANYTHING that was on the floor was free game.  He wasn't going to waste his time picking up shoes, toys, or papers.  Nope.  If it was on the floor while he was sweeping it went into the pile.  When my Dad was all done sweeping he would yell out "Come and get your stuff or it goes in the trash."  We would come running from all corners of the house to save our shoes and toys from the abyss of the trash can.

I DO THE EXACT SAME THING.  I got tired of picking up all the toys before I started sweeping and I got tired of waiting for the kids to come pick up the toys.  So, I just started sweeping.  When I was done I yelled out, "YOU BETTER COME GET YOUR STUFF BEFORE I THROW IT IN THE TRASH!"  They came running and put everything away that was salvageable. 

The important thing about using this cleaning tactic is to follow through.  We knew our Dad wasn't bluffing.  If we didn't come when he called, our shoes would end up in the trash and we would either have to dig them out, or go barefoot the next day.  My kids know I'm not messing around either.  Toys have ended up in the trash before.  They didn't like that.  So now when I call, they come running.

I have learned and inherited many things from my Daddy, but I do think this is one of my favorites!