Let’s get one thing straight: I’ve always been a bit particular about my belongings. Early in my relationship with my partner, we found ourselves at a drive-thru, and the chaos of our jeep was palpable. I had been crashing at a friend’s place leading up to their wedding, which left my space in utter disarray. When my partner casually tossed his change onto the console, it felt like a chaotic roll of dice that vanished into the void of our messy car. I lost it.
“Why do you care where I put the change?” he shot back, defensive. I probably tried to respond calmly, validating his feelings, but what surfaced was my underlying annoyance: when my belongings aren’t treated with care, I feel disrespected.
Fast forward to my thirties, and I thought I had matured in this area. No longer did I micromanage my friends while they borrowed my flat iron, warning them about breaking the ceramic plates. Honestly, it’s a miracle I graduated with friends at all. Yet, maturity may just be a change in circumstance. Now, as an adult, I don’t have to share my things nearly as often—until kids entered the picture.
And oh boy, that has brought a whole new set of challenges.
My children are relentless when it comes to my belongings, and it’s driving me up the wall. Just today, I was upstairs folding laundry for a mere six minutes when one of my little darlings decided that my designer sunglasses only needed one arm. Seriously, what the actual heck!? When I confront them, they just glance at the TV, absorbed in the Cat in the Hat. I explain how these are my favorites and how pricey they are, but they couldn’t care less.
My mom always advises, “Put your valuable things up high where they can’t reach them.” Sure, I’ll try to predict what they might destroy and stash it away. But honestly, how do I foresee them removing the handles from my buffet? Why would they even do that and then completely forget about it? I can’t help but feel a pang of sadness every time I look at that buffet.
I swear I’ve secured child locks and stored things away, but that doesn’t stop them. Here’s a little list of what they’ve managed to ruin in just the past month:
- My bronzer
- A bag of Neutrogena makeup remover wipes (yes, another one)
- Three packs of gum
- Every bottle of water I was enjoying when they decided to take a drink
- My nose spray
- One of my slippers
- A monogrammed wine glass
- A necklace I was wearing
- Two book covers
Accepting that my belongings are constantly at risk is tough. I might need to look into a toddler insurance policy. Is it really too much to ask a 2 and 4-year-old to stop messing with my things?
If you’re in a similar boat and need some valuable tips for navigating parenting, check out our other posts, like this one on home insemination kits or this excellent resource on intrauterine insemination.
Summary
The author reflects on their struggle to maintain their belongings after having children, sharing humorous anecdotes about the chaos that ensues when kids get involved. They express frustration over the loss of personal items and the challenge of keeping valuable possessions safe from little hands.
Keyphrase: Parenting and belongings
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