Fix This Mess! by Tedd Arnold

from goodreads

4 stars

I'm not very good at keeping my house tidy. I would much rather read my book then put things away. I'm sure I'm not the only person who feels that way. But, I am beginning to understand the importance of putting things in their rightful place, especially when it comes to the kids lunch things and their clothes. Nothing is more frustrating then when the kids come out of their rooms freaking out that they can't find that particular shirt that they must have or else their outfit is ruined and life is over! (And the kid who does this the most is only 5! It gets easier and less dramatic... right?)

As I already struggle with my things and the things of the house at large I have passed off some of the responsibility onto them. Hopefully this will help them learn responsibility for their own stuff, allow them to blame me less, and help them not to have the same issue I have when they get older. So far it hasn't bit too bad. But Miss G., she does everything in her power to do as little of her chore as possible. It is amazing the excuses she comes up with for not putting away her clothes in a timely manner. She needs them sorted into piles, she can't open the drawers, no one is helping her, Miss V. isn't putting away her clothes (usually that is because Miss V. has already put away her clothes), and my personal favourite, she is a kid not a maid.

Hopefully as I get better my kids will get better too. I know things can't change over night, but that would be super awesome. Maybe I need to find a wishing star tonight to make that wish come true!

Synopsis

The Robug that Jake ordered finally arrived. When Jake tells him to fix this mess, Jake gets more than he bargained for.

My Thoughts

Oh, how this book spoke to me, on so many different levels. It spoke to my desire to cut tidying corners. It spoke to my frustration when my kids, instead of putting clothes away from the floor,  just pick up the pile and throw it all in the laundry whether it is dirty or not. It spoke to the importance of just getting on and dealing with the crap yourself. My goodness what a deep book.

Tedd Arnold is the master of keeping things simple yet telling a great tale. I love his illustrations. There are so many little things to see in them that bring a smile to your face. In this book I especially liked the cat.

I'm not sure who will enjoy this book more, the parents who are sagely nodding along with it or the kids because they know that what Robug is doing isn't really what Jake meant. So if you are dealing with kids who don't help with the mess, this book might just be for you and your family. The words are ridiculously simple but that helps with the message. I think this is one you will enjoy.