Those six magic little words...

I love my kids, but I do need a break now and then. So I have found the secret to getting a little piece and quiet when the kids are home over the summer... It simply involves these six magic words...

"We need to clean up downstairs."

Let me tell you, they scatter like roaches. Not that I've ever seen a roach, mind you, but that's what I hear they do...

And is it bad that I just compared my children to roaches? I'm going to have to ponder that.

Anyway- all three kids can be bickering and annoying each other, but utter these magic words and they all disappear upstairs, or outside- where, all of a sudden, they get along like peas in a pod. (I'm just full of similes today!)

I realize that it would be beneficial to the whole family to involve them in the cleaning up process, but frankly I'm not always up to the battle. So I'll crank up Frankie Valli (AKA "screechy music" according to Young Son) and turn on the vacuum.

I wonder if I could just leave the vacuum on? Would they venture back downstairs and notice that I'm not actually cleaning the living room, but am blogging instead?

It could be worth a shot!