Independence Makes a Mess… Literally

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I am currently in the trenches raising two independent girls. My oldest who just turned five has been feisty since the start. She has always wanted to do things her own way. As a two-year-old when told she needed to hold someone’s hand her response was always “I hold myself!” with her arms clutched around as if giving herself a giant bear hug. I want my girls to be strong and independent women, but let’s face it, independence is messy.

My five-year-old getting her own snack = crumbs on the floor from the bottom of the pretzel bag. Water on the counters from getting, and washing a piece of fruit or some vegetables.

My 2-year-old learning to eat with a plate and utensils = food all over the floor, the table, her hair. Pretty much everything.

Potty training. I think I can just leave this one right here and everyone can relate to this one!

I’m an art teacher so I have to throw this one in here. Teaching my girls to paint and be creative = major mess and sometimes even ruined clothes.

But mamas, it’s worth it. There are so many things I could do on a daily basis to limit the mess but then they would never learn for themselves. I could spend time feeding my 2-year-old every bite or continue to put her food right on the table or tray (knowing she will most likely dump her plate over and spill it anyway). However, one day she is going to see everyone else’s plate and she is going to realize that this is how we eat and she won’t dump it and she will just eat off of it without the mess everywhere.

Those potty training accidents and carrying extra underwear in your purse just in case. One day it will click and your life may not be wrapped up so much in the bodily functions of a tiny human. And already my 5-year-old is starting to be able to successfully get a snack for her AND her sister. Major score for mom. One less thing on my plate!

So stock up on those Clorox wipes, paper towels, and clothes that can be ruined for the sake of a good time. The mess will be worth it and one day as you look around at your clean house, you’ll probably miss the messes once made by your littles, who won’t be so little anymore.

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Allison Leland
I am a wife and mommy to two sweet girls ages 4 and 10 months. I work from home part-time as an art teacher for a local online school. As a Cincinnati native I love this city and am so thankful to be raising my family here. I love getting creative with my four year old and letting her run wild with paint and lots of other art supplies. I am passionate about encouraging creativity and art making at any age. When I am not crafting or having adventures with my little girls, I love organizing, decorating, shopping for a bargain, exploring new places for family fun around the city, cooking, and searching for local restaurants with great food. I also run an Etsy shop, be tees. by AJB (https://www.etsy.com/shop/AuroraJanesBoutique), with my sister selling screen printed baby and toddler apparel.

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