The Kitchen Is Closed!
I am seriously considering making a sign for saying "Kitchen Closed" after 10pm. I am used to washing and cleaning the kitchen after dinner. About an hour or two after dinner. And then I can relax, sort of, for the rest of the night. I was raised that way. I have been doing dishes for most of my life. It seems my mom had me doing them as soon as I could reach the sink. I was around 9 I think. So, for years this system has been working for me. Usually everyone is either in bed or watching TV or getting ready for bed. Nobody is in my clean kitchen.
But, that all has changed this past year. My "tween" son who now eats at almost every waking moment it seems, is always wandering into the kitchen around 8-pm looking for snacks or anything else he can find. He usually finds some yogurt or makes a sandwich, Eggo waffle or a hot dog. Of course, he will have to use the biggest plate he can find to put his food on. With the exception of the yogurt, he eats that out of the container, with the biggest spoon he can find. Although, I do tell him to clean up his mess that is a hit or miss. He attempts most times with eye rolls, and hissing sounds from his mouth and other times he leaves his plate in the sink hoping that I don't notice. I do though. And telling him to wash it gets me more mumbles under his breath and a look like why can't I do it after all it is just one plate. I give him the "mom" look back and although no words are exchanged between us he gets the message.
My nephew will stroll in between 8:30 and 10 pm from work and if he doesn't eat at work he is in the kitchen looking for something. Now, he is a bird of a different feather. He won't put his dish in the sink at all he will just leave it on the living floor where he usually eats. I don't know why but that is him. At least he pushes his plate out of the middle of the floor and on occasion will leave it on the table. In the morning I tell him to clean his mess if I don't notice it at night.
Then there is my mom who will eat like a bird during dinner and then at night she wants a snack. She's pretty easy though. I will give her an orange that she wants or a banana or something out of the fruit bowl and she is happy. No mess, no clean up for her. On a rare occasion she might ask for something a little more complicated but not usually.
Since my kitchen turns into grand central station I am seriously considering investing in lots of paper plates and plastic cups for all this late night eating and snacking. They can just toss it when they are done and we all will be happy.
But, that all has changed this past year. My "tween" son who now eats at almost every waking moment it seems, is always wandering into the kitchen around 8-pm looking for snacks or anything else he can find. He usually finds some yogurt or makes a sandwich, Eggo waffle or a hot dog. Of course, he will have to use the biggest plate he can find to put his food on. With the exception of the yogurt, he eats that out of the container, with the biggest spoon he can find. Although, I do tell him to clean up his mess that is a hit or miss. He attempts most times with eye rolls, and hissing sounds from his mouth and other times he leaves his plate in the sink hoping that I don't notice. I do though. And telling him to wash it gets me more mumbles under his breath and a look like why can't I do it after all it is just one plate. I give him the "mom" look back and although no words are exchanged between us he gets the message.
My nephew will stroll in between 8:30 and 10 pm from work and if he doesn't eat at work he is in the kitchen looking for something. Now, he is a bird of a different feather. He won't put his dish in the sink at all he will just leave it on the living floor where he usually eats. I don't know why but that is him. At least he pushes his plate out of the middle of the floor and on occasion will leave it on the table. In the morning I tell him to clean his mess if I don't notice it at night.
Then there is my mom who will eat like a bird during dinner and then at night she wants a snack. She's pretty easy though. I will give her an orange that she wants or a banana or something out of the fruit bowl and she is happy. No mess, no clean up for her. On a rare occasion she might ask for something a little more complicated but not usually.
Since my kitchen turns into grand central station I am seriously considering investing in lots of paper plates and plastic cups for all this late night eating and snacking. They can just toss it when they are done and we all will be happy.
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