lord of the flies

We get 1/2 hour of quiet time, and mommies begin dreading with scary anticipation of what they may have done now. We enter the room to find, imagine this if you will:

- their beds taken apart, mattresses on the floor, sheets astray covered with marker

- apartment walls covered with marker

- naked bodies covered in marker, down to the genitals front and back

- toy boxes overturned

- new comforters with bright colored duvets covered in marker

- the art bin spread topsy turvy all over the entire garbage dump of their room

- diapers everywhere

- laundry everywhere

This totalled about 2-3 feet high of stuff wall to wall. Meanwhile, despite our screeching, they continued to run around, bounce around the room wall to wall, jumping on and off the bed, in and out of the crib like LORD OF THE FLIES BOYS after killing Piggie.

After closing the door and announcing the consequences (mommies remove all toys and the art bin for 5 days; legos and trains remain at request only with supervision), they futzed around for about 1 1/2 hours. Then I (Laramie) followed a friend's example and began giving them simple imperatives, guessing they were overwhelmed at the mess. Slowly but surely, they began cleaning up. When finally done, we congratulated them and reminded them of the consequences. At this point, Harper bellowed in the most dramatic Shakepearean heart-rending howl,

"But Mommy, I just want to liiiiiiiiiiiiiive!"