Miami Herald Logo

If You Give A Messy House a Thought... | Miami Herald

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Site Information
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Herald Store
    • RSS Feeds
    • Special Sections
    • Advertise
    • Advertise with Us
    • Media Kit
    • Mobile
    • Mobile Apps & eReaders
    • Newsletters
    • Social
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    • Sections
    • News
    • South Florida
    • Miami-Dade
    • Broward
    • Florida Keys
    • Florida
    • Politics
    • Weird News
    • Weather
    • National & World
    • Colombia
    • National
    • World
    • Americas
    • Cuba
    • Guantánamo
    • Haiti
    • Venezuela
    • Local Issues
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • In Depth
    • Issues & Ideas
    • Traffic
    • Sections
    • Sports
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Pro & College
    • Miami Dolphins
    • Miami Heat
    • Miami Marlins
    • Florida Panthers
    • College Sports
    • University of Miami
    • Florida International
    • University of Florida
    • Florida State University
    • More Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Auto Racing
    • Fighting
    • Golf
    • Horse Racing
    • Outdoors
    • Soccer
    • Tennis
    • Youth Sports
    • Other Sports
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The Florida Influencer Series
    • Sections
    • Business
    • Business Monday
    • Banking
    • International Business
    • National Business
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate News
    • Small Business
    • Technology
    • Tourism & Cruises
    • Workplace
    • Business Plan Challenge
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Cindy Krischer Goodman
    • The Starting Gate
    • Work/Life Balancing Act
    • Movers
    • Sections
    • Living
    • Advice
    • Fashion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Garden
    • Pets
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Wine
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Dave Barry
    • Ana Veciana-Suarez
    • Flashback Miami
    • More Living
    • LGBTQ South Florida
    • Palette Magazine
    • Indulge Magazine
    • South Florida Album
    • Broward Album
    • Sections
    • Entertainment
    • Books
    • Comics
    • Games & Puzzles
    • Horoscopes
    • Movies
    • Music & Nightlife
    • People
    • Performing Arts
    • Restaurants
    • TV
    • Visual Arts
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Jose Lambiet
    • Lesley Abravanel
    • More Entertainment
    • Events Calendar
    • Miami.com
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Sections
    • All Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Op-Ed
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Jim Morin
    • Letters to the Editor
    • From Our Inbox
    • Speak Up
    • Submit a Letter
    • Meet the Editorial Board
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Blog Directory
    • Columnist Directory
    • Andres Oppenheimer
    • Carl Hiaasen
    • Leonard Pitts Jr.
    • Fabiola Santiago
    • Obituaries
    • Obituaries in the News
    • Place an Obituary

    • Place an ad
    • All Classifieds
    • Announcements
    • Apartments
    • Auctions/Sales
    • Automotive
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Employment
    • Garage Sales
    • Legals
    • Merchandise
    • Obituaries
    • Pets
    • Public Notices
    • Real Estate
    • Services
  • Public Notices
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Real Estate
  • Mobile & Apps

  • el Nuevo Herald
  • Miami.com
  • Indulge

Latest News

If You Give A Messy House a Thought...

Aimee Heller

    ORDER REPRINT →

July 02, 2012 01:25 AM

As soon as you come home, your child is ready to eat.

As soon as you are ready to clean up the dinner prep mess, you are distracted by tomorrow's to-do list.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

As soon as you finish tomorrow's lunch making and get to organizing the mail, the microwave goes off.

As soon as you eat dinner and it's time to clean up, she needs to go to the bathroom.

As soon as you clean her bottom, she needs to take a bath.

As soon as you are ready to clean the bath, she's cold, and needs pajamas.

As soon as you are ready to fold all the pajamas she has thrown to the floor in search of the one with Dora, she is at the toy shelf, looking for her evening activity.

As soon as you think she is distracted enough by a toy that you just may get some cleaning done, she wants you to play with her.

As soon as you play with her, she tires of the game after about 10 minutes and wants to put it away.

As soon as you're a quarter way done putting the toy pieces back into the box, she wanders over to the bookshelf, looking for the book about the elephant who needs hearing aids.

As soon as you are ready to pick five dozen books and a couple of bookshelf knick-knacks off the floor, she wants to brush her teeth.

As soon as you are scraping the spit toothpaste off the sink, cabinet, towel, washcloth and floor, she is ready to go to bed.

As soon as you are ready to put the stuffed animals and decorative pillows back on the bed she has just unmade with the force of a hurricane and the finesse of a rabid elephant, she is ready for her story.

As soon as you are done with the book, you. fall. right. asleep.

As soon as you fall asleep the mold, dust bunnies, Barbies and cat hair come out to party!

  Comments  

Videos

Ron DeSantis announces plan to create “equal opportunity scholarships”

Miami Marlins have ‘exciting’ ideas for Sergio Romo

View More Video

Trending Stories

Haiti is once again on edge, and humanitarian aid groups debate whether to go or cancel

February 14, 2019 07:24 PM

He was robbed while mowing a lawn. He talked. Then 40 bullets were fired into his house

February 14, 2019 08:45 AM

Here’s Jimmy Johnson’s multi-step guide as the Dolphins begin their rebuilding program

February 14, 2019 03:05 PM

Hearts are heavy, attendance is light at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

February 14, 2019 09:05 AM

Dolphins sign former second-round defensive end and a young cornerback

February 15, 2019 03:30 PM

Read Next

Kidnap victim, mobile home, retail game-changer: The many lives of a shopping cart

South Florida

Kidnap victim, mobile home, retail game-changer: The many lives of a shopping cart

By Linda Robertson

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 15, 2019 09:41 AM

Whether from Publix, Winn-Dixie, Trader Joe’s or El Presidente supermarkets, stray shopping carts are everywhere you look in Miami, FL. It’s changed retail, become art and is even an online shopping symbol.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE LATEST NEWS

Kaepernick, NFL reach collusion settlement, but stain on league stays until he’s signed

Greg Cote

Kaepernick, NFL reach collusion settlement, but stain on league stays until he’s signed

February 15, 2019 04:25 PM
It’s a spring of uncertainty as the Marlins continue their rebuild. This is what’s next

Miami Marlins

It’s a spring of uncertainty as the Marlins continue their rebuild. This is what’s next

February 15, 2019 12:26 PM
The Gino DiMare era starts off just how Miami needed it to —with plenty of hitting

University of Miami

The Gino DiMare era starts off just how Miami needed it to —with plenty of hitting

February 15, 2019 10:38 PM
Miami-Dade restaurant worker found with hepatitis A, health department announces

Restaurant News & Reviews

Miami-Dade restaurant worker found with hepatitis A, health department announces

February 15, 2019 10:44 PM
Gunman kills 5 people, wounds 5 police at Illinois business

National

Gunman kills 5 people, wounds 5 police at Illinois business

February 15, 2019 09:05 PM
Federal judge dissolves homeless protections from police harassment in Miami

Miami-Dade County

Federal judge dissolves homeless protections from police harassment in Miami

February 15, 2019 03:59 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Miami Herald App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Public Insight Network
  • Reader Panel
Advertising
  • Place a Classified
  • Media Kit
  • Commercial Printing
  • Public Notices
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story