Mom's Not Playing...

Remember when I posted a couple of weeks ago about how I was about to get meaner if the kids didn't fulfill their responsibilities? Well, tonight I had to follow through on that. J. has basketball practice on Mondays and Wednesdays. He has been told that if he doesn't do his job at home, then he's not going to get to continue to play basketball. I went upstairs this evening to check on his progress with cleaning his room. It looked WORSE than it did before. So I explained to him that was absolutely unacceptable and we would NOT be going to basketball practice tonight. He blamed it on his sister. She does have a tendency to keep her room clean and go play in his room with him and contribute to the disaster. I explained to him that although I know she contributes to the mess (and she does have to help him clean up), it's his room and his responsibility. I hated to make him miss basketball practice, but I have to follow through with what I tell them or they won't take me seriously. Their school is having a Sweetheart Dance Friday night, and they both want to go. Plus J. has a basketball game on Saturday, and one of his little friends is having a sleepover birthday party he's wanting to go to. I hope tonight served as a reminder that I mean what I say.