A mom’s struggle to keep her kitchen clean will resonate with many parents. It’s a common scenario: a husband walks into a messy home and innocently asks his wife, “What did you do all day?” If he’s not careful, he might find himself in hot water, because anyone who has spent the day with children knows how difficult it is to get anything done. It’s easy to feel busy all day without actually finishing any tasks.
Jessica Harper, a mom of three, recently took to Facebook to share a relatable post that highlights this very issue. Known for her insights on family and parenting, Harper penned a letter to her husband explaining why their kitchen remains a constant work in progress, despite her best intentions.
“Dear Husband,” she begins. “I know I promised to clean the kitchen today, so you might be shocked when you come home to find it still a mess.”
For many, this would come as no surprise. Harper continues, “I walked into the kitchen ready to tackle it. I picked up a hairbrush and some rubber bands from the table and headed to the bathroom to put them away.”
However, upon reaching the bathroom, she noticed a pile of towels that had been left on the floor for days. This led her to the laundry room, where she discovered overflowing hampers of dirty clothes. After starting a load of laundry, she tried to return to the kitchen.
On her way back, one of her kids approached her, and suddenly she was faced with a “hangry” child. “I handed her a cheese stick and told her to eat it in the garage (because I’m busy cleaning the kitchen right now, obviously),” she quips.
This encounter reminded Harper that she needed to send an email to her child’s teacher about an upcoming Valentine’s Day party. So, she dashed to her bedroom for a quick online check-in. But then her youngest child burst in, distraught because his cape had fallen off.
A meltdown ensued when Harper couldn’t fix the cape the way he wanted. After calming him down and removing his cowboy boots to prevent scuffing, she finally made her way back to the computer. However, she soon found herself scrolling through Facebook instead, losing track of time. “Fifteen minutes later, I realized I was supposed to be cleaning the kitchen.”
As she attempted to return to her cleaning mission, she noticed the time — it was time to pick up her oldest from school. “So, no, the kitchen isn’t clean. My life is just a continuous cycle of doing without finishing,” she concludes.
I can relate to this feeling. By the end of the day, I often find myself physically drained, yet my home remains cluttered and chaotic. I spend my time moving from task to task, but rarely check anything off my list. Harper shared her thoughts with Modern Family Blog, aiming to let other mothers know they are not alone in this whirlwind of daily chaos. “I wanted to remind everyone that this constant state of doing is perfectly normal.”
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In summary, Jessica Harper’s post resonates with many parents who find themselves in the same exhausting cycle of trying to manage housework while caring for children. Her candid approach serves as a reminder that chaos is a normal part of family life.