Confessions of a Single Mum

As I lay in bed the other night listening to the kids snoring – would be kind of sweet if it wasn’t through two closed doors, I was thinking about my kids and their bedrooms. I know when they are young it is down to us as parents to make sure their bedrooms are clean, tidy and don’t house potential health and safety issues but at what age should we hand over the responsibility to them. I guess the quick answer is when they are capable of doing it all themselves and this varies from child to child. I know when I was a kid my tidy bedroom or lack of tidiness was the start of many an argument with my parents. I begrudged tidying it as it was my room, it was supposed to be my space and my haven from the adults. It was a place I had my own identity. I of course never let on to my parents they were right and it was a nicer place tidy. So now I am thinking who is it I actually want my kid’s bedroom tidy for? Is it for me and my sense of duty, visitors and family or any passing burglar? If I dictate their rooms have to be tidy will it cause problems in further life? Will I have two Goths on my hands as they feel it’s the only way they can express themselves. I guess part of it all is getting them in training for later life. But as adults they are  going to have a life full of cleaning and tidying so couldn’t I just let them enjoy mess now or am I just talking my way out of doing what’s got to be done and just ride the arguments.