This is the way my son’s room looks Every.Single.Day. Take a close look. Everything to do with pirates resides on that floor. I can’t walk through them…I can’t walk around them…in fact I can barely get in the door. You see, although it might look like a mess to you (and to me), my son has all those pirates strategically placed just so according to some pirate map that he handles oh so carefully for fear of it getting damaged. He plays with these pirates for hours on end….battle after battle… over and over again . I love to stand at the door just watching him play. It has taken me a long time to look past what appears to me to be a big ole mess. You can only imagine how badly my body would twitch every time I would walk past his room….how I would fight with him to clean it up. But over time I’ve learned to pick my battles and I choose not to battle with the pirates. I know these pirates won’t be around forever….soon my son will move on to other things and there will come a time when I will long for these simple days of seeing my son sitting on the floor using his imagination and making battle sounds only a mother could find endearing. Soon there will be days when I walk by his room only to hear loud music penetrating from beyond the other side of a closed door, a door I’ll have to knock on before I enter. Oh yes, those pirates all over the floor, they can definitely stay because as long as the pirates are around I stand a chance of holding onto my little boy for just a little while longer.
**Every two weeks I kindly ask the pirates to take their battle to the side of the room so I can vacuum and they reluctantly agree.**
Julie says
That is one of the hardest things for me – letting my kids rooms look played in – with their buildings and the “contraptions” my 7 year old sets up. (He’s very creative.) I twitch plenty but try to give him reign over his space within reason.
Jenny says
What an awesome post!!
I’ll take a picture of practically the same toys set up almost the same tomorrow!!!
SentimentsbyDenise says
Many years ago (when my 23 yr old son was a wee boy!) it was Star Wars battles in our home – daily! Oh the imagination that would flow!
Yet, that kids still has an active imagination and now works with middle school age teens in our church’s youth group – and they love him! Probably because he still has a lot of that imagination present and knows how to have good fun! Will he ever grow up? Not sure. I love his imagination and sense of adventure, though!
Cheryl says
Oh, I have the same scene in my son’s bedroom. He’s 12 and still spends his time making lego creations and playing with pirates. I dread the last time he plays on the floor like that – thanks for the reminder to look past the clutter to the heart of my boy!
~Betty~ @ On the Journey to Victory says
What a great post. I also use the “chose your battles” philosophy. You are so wise to let him have his own space for imagination.
YOU ARE WONDERFUL!
~Betty~
Cat says
I am working on my “choose your battles” philosophy. It’s so hard with a two year old, but I am getting better!!
What a great post!
irreverentmama says
My husband and I have 8 kids between us. Six are teens. (One is out of her teens, one has yet to get there.) I know from messy rooms, and THAT is not a messy room!
Yes, there is a tableau in progress, but that’s all that’s there. Apart from the pirates, you can see floor!
My son (17) does the same with Warhammer figures, but… Where are the dirty socks? Where are the homework papers? And the used tissues? The CD’s? The pillows, the cups, plates, candy wrappers, books? Oh, and all the electronica – the cell phone and charger and iPod and charger and computer and wires and, and, and…
I pick my battles, too: in the communal rooms, they pick up after themselves. Their own rooms are their own business.
That room is a model of restraint. You ain’t seen nothing yet. 🙂
-Laura
la bellina mammina says
Thanks for that wonderful post. My sons’ room looks like an F1 circuit one weekend, army battle ground the next, playmobil cowboys & red indian battlefield the next – you get the idea. I don’t even wanna go into what the baby has turned the living room into – but, I wouldn’t wanna change all these for a spotless house!
Sarah says
Thanks for the reminder. I needed it. I tend to want my daughter to pick up the legos every night and she never does. I will try to exercise a little restraint since it is her room.
On the other hand I feel strongly that kids need an uncluttered space to sleep in. How do you balance the two?
Jill says
What a clever boy you have! Arrgh! Hang in there matey!
Sandy says
Great post. I’ve learned (and it did not come easy) to let the rigidity go and to embrace the *pirates* and legos and all the pieces to the kids toys. I’m looking back now and that stuff doesn’t matter. Relationship is where it’s at!
Candy says
Great post 🙂
Beth says
LOL So THIS is what is in store for me in another few years? *wink* I still like the fact that my little Viking son is still in his crib! LOL
Heather says
My son is a pirate-aholic, too. He throws other guys in there, too- football players, army guys, etc. They all sword fight, though. I know exactly what you mean. At least he moves them so you can vacuum. :o)
The Lazy Organizer says
Very cute!
I only wish my kids made messes that small! Neither of my kids play with little people. They are always the main characters in their games so they need BIG props that include cardboard boxes, blankets and re-arranging the furniture!
Barb says
Wow! Look at the participation in Menu Monday this week! Congratulations, Girl.
It never occurred to me that this was a mess. I saw right away that this is exactly the way he very carefully set it up.
This is such a tender post. You’re so right. The day when those pirates are packed away will arrive quickly enough, a lot sooner than you want it to, so you’re so right. Enjoy his “mess.” 🙂
Air Force Family says
Love this post! It’s a good reminder to me that my living room doesn’t have to be picked up all the time (that’s where Olyvia plays). Since Olyvia is only 10 months old and my only one, I tend to want to keep things straight all the time, but reading your post today, made me realize that not everything has to be perfect. Thanks!!
Kimberly says
What a sweet post…there’s something so joyful in witnessing a child’s imagination at work. It really is worth the mess, isn’t it?
John Trosko says
This is one of the most beautiful, touching (short) essays I have ever read. How wonderful a story!
– John
Proverbs31 says
I love Pirateville!
Not the clutter-ness of it… 😉
But the creativeness of it is brilliant! 🙂
Angela says
I can totally relate and agree with the terms you have come to…life is too short to major on the pirate mess (at our house it’s LEGO ships). They will soon move on and we will look back and wish for that innocence.