Ten loves to make "set-ups." That's what he calls the many, many (Oh So Very Many) elaborately designed and artfully placed arrangements of action figures that he creates each day. Which he NEVER, EVER wants to take down. I can't tell you how many of these beautiful creations I've destroyed with my big feet and my selfish desire to hang up the boys' clean clothes. I know. I should be ashamed.
We were having nightly battles about putting toys away: I want a clean house and uninjured feet. He wants his creations to last forever. So I came up with a brilliant Mommy Compromise, if I do say so myself.
Much like Seven's Craft Obsession, Ten now has his own photo folder of set-up pictures. I taught him how to use the features of my digital camera and how to save the pictures in his own folder.
He spent three hours making sets one day. Then he took pictures of them so that he can write books about what his characters are doing and illustrate the books with his photos.
He didn't mind cleaning up his room that night (well, not much anyway) because he knew that the set-ups he worked so hard to create were saved forever on the hard drive. Not that he LOVES cleaning or anything, but it certainly cut down on the weeping and gnashing we were experiencing at clean-up time every night. And that works for me.
To find out what works for some other bloggers, go check out Rocks in My Dryer.
3 comments:
Great idea. I bet those pictures will also make great keepsakes to reminisce about your kids when they are all grown up. :-)
What a great way to disarm a battle brewing.
Wonderful idea.
Think I will definately use this one.
Good idea! Your house sounds a lot like my house...the picures of the toys look so familiar!
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