You are here

Ah... that Fresh SKID-Free Smell

LikeMinded's picture

Submitted by LikeMinded on Wed, 03/09/2016 - 9:59am

So I do a little ritual when my SKIDS go back to Satan. It doesn't take very long, because it happens during that brief moment after they have left for school and I need to get ready for work.

To those around me, it's barely noticeable, but to me it's highly enjoyable. Here's what I do:

1. I smile and think "I'm free!"
2. I clean the kitchen table and push it back a bit so there's less room where the SKIDs sit, and slightly more room on our side so we can sit comfortably.
3. I spray air freshener in their room, and shut their door.
4. I put all their towels in the hamper, spray air freshener in the bathroom they use and shut the door.
5. I put all their stuff that I find around the house away: book, sock, toy, etc.
6. I throw away any school papers of theirs that are no longer needed.

To some it may look like I'm tidying up the house, like I do every morning. To me, It feels like I'm erasing them from my mind, so that I can take a vacation from step parenting. It's highly enjoyable, especially the air freshening part.

It makes me happy because I know that for 5 days, DH will be more relaxed. We will not be fighting. I'll be able to enjoy my own kids. DH will give bio kid more attention. I won't have to protect bio kid from Sir Poops Alot who tends to hurt him, or from the Kind One who wants to parent him in a way that upsets him. I won't have to make sure that the SKIDS competition over the last meatball/snack bar/apple doesn't leave my kids without. I won't have to hold my tongue about Sir Poops Alot wearing the same jacket all day, every day and wiping his nose (and probably his butt), with the sleeves. In fact, I won't have to hold my tongue at all!

For 5 days, I can live a normal life (well... that is unless BM or MIL start bugging me, but let's not go there).

Do you guys have any rituals you do (or think) when your SKIDS leave?

Comments

LikeMinded's picture

Submitted by LikeMinded on Wed, 03/09/2016 - 10:08am

So sorry Jasper!

(((((((hugs)))))))))

DaizyDuke's picture

Submitted by DaizyDuke on Wed, 03/09/2016 - 10:25am

I always felt like Julie Andrews prancing, and spinning in the meadow singing ♫♫"The Hills are Alive....." ♫♫ when I knew skids would be gone for days. That constant sick feeling in the pit of my stomach would immediately dissolve and life would be grand!

LikeMinded's picture

Submitted by LikeMinded on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 9:55am

Lol Daizy, for me it would be "the halls are alive with the smell of Fabreeze!".

Dancing would be a good addition though. Blum 3

StepKat's picture

Submitted by StepKat on Wed, 03/09/2016 - 10:47am

I have very similar rituals. After we drop the kids off and we get home I clean the entire house. I had already washed their clothes that morning so I put all their clothes in their rooms. I put away all the games, toys, shoes, etc. When we have the skids I make sure my table cloth is off the table because they always spill stuff so once I get home I put my table cloth back on. By the time I'm done there is no evidence the skids had been there. The doors to their rooms are closed and nothing of their is out. It feels like a reset of my mind. I'm able to relax and go back to my normal life.

LikeMinded's picture

Submitted by LikeMinded on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 9:56am

Exactly, StepKat... I hear what you say about the kitchen table. It's like cleaning up after a bunch of chickens. Sooo nice, when its clean!

Cover1W's picture

Submitted by Cover1W on Wed, 03/09/2016 - 11:32am

The SDs leave Monday mornings, so I don't do much cleaning after they leave since it's a weeknight.
Basically, I leave all the mess; dishes, food droppings, dirt, etc. for DP to clean up. I don't touch it.

Any clothing, craft stuff, or games left out "go away."
If I am feeling charitable, I just toss the stuff in the SDs rooms for them to pick up/throw away (SD10 and her friend left some trash in the mudroom. It all was put back into her room for her to deal with - she knows better.)

I don't do their bedding or clothes washing or bathroom cleaning. That's up to DP.

I noticed that SD12 doesn't even have a toothbrush any longer...(I had to go into bathroom to install a new toilet seat and see if DP had cleaned up something I asked him to do otherwise I don't enter)...her toothbrush holder is empty. Wonder how long that's going to be the case....

kathc's picture

Submitted by kathc on Wed, 03/09/2016 - 11:35am

The second the car backs out of the driveway I'm running around with lysol (canned and wipes) spraying/wiping everything skid has touched. TV remote, light switches, doorknobs, etc. Yes, it looks like I'm just giving the house a good once-over. In reality, I think about how I'm wiping away the skid germs and it makes me happy.

RayRay's picture

Submitted by RayRay on Wed, 03/09/2016 - 1:04pm

My skids are here 24/7 pretty much. Oh, but I have my dreams of what I might do if they weren't here.

TwoOfUs's picture

Submitted by TwoOfUs on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 10:06pm

lol.

I actually sweep my entire house on Friday right before they arrive...and then again on Monday right after they leave. I started doing this when they were younger just to prove to myself that I wasn't crazy. I told DH that they spilled more on the floor / made more mess from Friday-Monday morning than we made in the previous two weeks. He said I was over-reacting. So, one time, I waited two whole weeks to sweep the floor right before they arrived. Then again when they left. I didn't show him the respective piles...but the their pile was more than triple the size of our pile.

Since then, I just enjoy starting the skid weekend with a "fresh slate" so to speak...and sweeping them out when they leave. Feels cleansing.